Sheffield United reclaimed the top spot in the Championship after an action-packed 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on Sunday afternoon. The Blades displayed resilience, coming from behind and battling hard in difficult conditions to earn a vital point.
The hosts struck first, capitalising on their early dominance when Torbjorn Heggem converted from a well-delivered corner from Alex Mowatt in the 25th minute. West Brom’s aggressive pressing and sharp transitions kept United under pressure, but the visitors quickly adjusted to the challenge.
United’s equaliser came through a well-orchestrated move led by Callum O’Hare. The midfielder found Harrison Burrows on the left, who drilled a low cross into the box. After a few deflections, O’Hare was in the right place to finish the sequence and level the score at 1-1.
Momentum shifted in favour of the Blades shortly after. Burrows, once again the creative spark, delivered a pinpoint cross to Tyrese Campbell in the six-yard box, who clinically slotted home to give United a 2-1 lead.
Despite Sheffield United’s control for large parts of the second half, West Brom equalised through a stroke of luck. Tom Fellows’ speculative shot took a massive deflection, looping over goalkeeper Michael Cooper and into the net, much to the frustration of the visiting side.
Sheffield United Boss On Crucial Point At West Brom
In his post-match reaction, Blades manager Chris Wilder praised his team’s response after a slow start, highlighting their ability to adapt to West Brom’s pressing style. “They were the better team for the first 15-20 minutes; they were really aggressive in the press. We played backward and square and invited the press on and deservedly they went 1-0 up and I’m going ‘let’s have a little look at you now, let’s have a little peek at you and see what you’re all about’. I think we answered it incredibly well. We changed the way we played a little bit to play more forward into the pockets, break through the press, be braver in the way we played… And all of a sudden, we turned the game on its head.”
He later added: “I really am delighted. Possibly the most I’ve been this season, apart from maybe one game. I’m more delighted with that attitude from the players and the way they went about it than any other game this season.”
The manager also addressed concerns about Tyrese Campbell, who was substituted during the match. “He hasn’t [hurt his hamstring]. He’s been struggling with a back injury. We tried to manage him and it just got to a stage where he couldn’t really carry on.”
With key players like Harry Souttar, Anel Ahmedhodzic, and Kieffer Moore set to return for Wednesday’s clash against Millwall, Wilder expressed confidence in his squad’s depth and preparation. He said, “We’ve got Soutts, Anel, and Kieffer back for Wednesday night and Rhian has had a good 15-20 minutes as well. We’re back in good shape and got a full quota to pick from.”
