Sheffield United v West Brom: Rival managers lavish praise on 'ridiculous' Billy Sharp

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Paul Heckingbottom, the Sheffield United manager, insisted there is no one he would rather be spearheading his team’s push for promotion than Billy Sharp after the veteran striker scored twice during last night’s pivotal encounter against West Bromwich Albion.

Steve Bruce, overseeing his first match in charge of the visitors, admitted Sharp is destined to go down in Bramall Lane folklore when he finally retires from the game - admitting “I’ve forgotten how many of them he’s bloody got, but there’s too many against me” following the final whistle.

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Sheffield United versus West Bromwich Albion: Billy Sharp settles potentially se...

Despite turning 36 over the weekend, the United captain took his tally for the season to 12 with strikes either side of Jake Livermore’s sending-off for a foul on Conor Hourihane.

Heckingbottom has already informed Sharp he wants him to remain at the club when his contract expires at the end of the campaign, although United’s hierarchy have yet to clarify if they plan to trigger a 12 month extension contained within that deal.

Billy and the rest of the forwards, they appreciate we ask a lot of them,” Heckingbottom told The Star, before confirming David McGoldrick is a doubt for Saturday’s trip to Huddersfield Town after damaging a thigh muscle.

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“But I think they also appreciate that we want to try and create quality chances for them. And if we do create those quality chances then there’s no better man as far as I’m concerned to be on the end of them.

Billy Sharp, the Sheffield United captain, was on target against West Bromwich Albion: Isaac Parkin / SportimageBilly Sharp, the Sheffield United captain, was on target against West Bromwich Albion: Isaac Parkin / Sportimage
Billy Sharp, the Sheffield United captain, was on target against West Bromwich Albion: Isaac Parkin / Sportimage

“If the forwards don’t bring that energy, then they won’t play. It’s as simple as that. But the ones we’ve got, Billy included, do. We want to be a team that plays with energy and carves out good openings. Billy has shown, time and time again, that’s he’s one of the people you’d most want to be on the end of those.”

Sharp broke the deadlock midway through the opening period, firing home on the turn following an interchange involving McGoldrick and George Baldock. Livermore’s red card - “I thought it was unfortunate, the wrong call (from the referee),” according to Bruce - left West Brom with a mountain to climb.

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But it wasn’t until the closing stages that United, now only a point outside the play-offs having played two matches fewer than sixth-placed Nottingham Forest, put the contest to bed.

Billy Sharp celebrates his goal for Sheffield United against West Bromwich Albion: Isaac Parkin / SportimageBilly Sharp celebrates his goal for Sheffield United against West Bromwich Albion: Isaac Parkin / Sportimage
Billy Sharp celebrates his goal for Sheffield United against West Bromwich Albion: Isaac Parkin / Sportimage

They finished the game in 10th, behind West Brom on goal difference.

“Billy has been a wonderful player for United,” Bruce, a former United manager, said. “He'll continue to be a wonderful player, I’m sure. He’ll go down in folklore here, there’s no doubt about that whatsoever. The only thing I don’t like about him is that he always seems to score against me, or teams that I’m managing.”

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Describing Livermore’s exit as the “defining moment” of the fixture, Bruce added: “Up until then, even though we were a goal down I thought we were the better side. I was pleased with the way we started. Up until the red card, which I thought was harsh - it was a decent challenge - I was thinking how much I miss the honesty of the challenges. Genuine challenges that you don’t usually get away with. We never gave it up.”