Chris Wilder's exciting Sheffield United striker prediction after hat-trick in remarkable Watford hammering
Chris Wilder’s excitement over Tyrese Campbell signing after Sheffield United striker nets hat-trick in 8-2 U21s rout of Watford
Chris Wilder believes that new striker Tyrese Campell has “got the tools” to be a successful signing for Sheffield United after the forward scored a hat-trick for the Blades’ U21s yesterday. Campbell signed for the Blades on a free transfer last month and is still getting up to speed but ran riot in a remarkable 8-2 hammering of Watford at Bramall Lane.
Campbell and fellow first-teamer Rhys Norrington-Davies played just shy of 70 minutes as they look to regain full fitness, with the Welsh international defender also on target - at both ends. He scored in the right net after a poor bit of goalkeeping from Alfie Marriott presented him with an opportunity from a United corner, before putting through his own net just a couple of minutes later.
But it was Campbell who emerged as the star of the show as he took his tally to four goals in two games for the U21s, further pressing his claim for more first-team action when the Championship season resumes after the international break. With Harry Boyes, Ryan One, Jili Buyabu and Bramall Lane debutant Alfie Atherton also on target it was a second home victory over Watford in 24 hours, with United’s youngsters continuing to prove that they are amongst the best in the country at their level.
“From Ty's point of view, I think it's been a tough gig for him in recent years, because there's not been any continuity,” said Wilder of the 24-year-old, who spent eight years at Stoke after leaving Manchester City’s academy. “You could argue he's been a part of that but there's an exciting player in there that we can hopefully get the best years of.
“We're all really positive and want to work with him. The biggest thing is that he's got the tools; now we need to do our stuff and we need that to come back from him. From meeting him and knowing his background, meeting with him a couple of times, my gut feeling is that he's all in. Everything points to that from meeting him. Sometimes you come away thinking: ‘I'm not so sure.’
“But I came away thinking: ‘This boy needs a bit of a break.’ And if we can get him going, then we've got one hell of a player on our hands. We've got to do that and there's a pressure on him as well, but he understands that. And fingers crossed, he'll be one of those that we look back on in a few years and say: ‘That was a decent bit of business.’”
The Blades opened the scoring through a good long-range strike from Boyes before Norrington-Davies and One made it 3-1 to United either side of the defender’s own goal. Campbell put the Blades 4-1 and then 5-1 up in a remarkable first half before Watford pulled one back from the penalty spot through Tobi Adeyemo.
United continued to dominate in the second half with Sai Sachdev denied what would have been a stunning long-range strike by a good save from visiting goalkeeper Marriott, flying to his right. But goals from Buyabu, Atherton and Campbell’s hat-trick goal sealed a memorable victory for Gary McSheffrey’s youngsters.