Sheffield United boss's exciting Tyrese Campbell prediction after "miles off it" admission following Wednesday winner
Tyrese Campbell writes name in Sheffield United folklore with derby winner v Wednesday to keep red-hot streak going
Chris Wilder hopes Tyrese Campbell’s stunning start to his Sheffield United career is just the beginning for the former Stoke City striker after he scored the winner in the Steel City derby yesterday. Campbell’s second-half strike sealed a 1-0 victory for the Blades over city rivals Wednesday, which took United joint top of the Championship table going into the international break.
Signed in the summer after his contract at Stoke expired, Campbell touched the ball only four times in the first half of a frantic first derby since 2019 but it was his seventh touch that decided it, with a calm finish under James Beadle after Gus Hamer and Callum O’Hare had combined beautifully. The goal was Campbell’s third in his last four games after also finding the net against his former club and then Blackburn Rovers, and he is now the Blades’ second top scorer this season behind Hamer’s four.
"We knew a lot about Ty ... we tried to sign him at Stoke but he renewed his contract there," said Wilder. "Physically he was nowhere near it when he came. Miles off it. But there's a player in there and he wants to be that player.
"He has to take responsibility for his own performances but he was at a team with a lot of managers coming in and what we like about him is his personality, his attitude and his finishing ability is there to be seen. Especially when he scored, he had 10 or 15 minutes where he was a real handful.”
Campbell was on the periphery of the game in the first half as both sides struggled to get a grip on the game and his strike ended up being the only shot on target for either side - not that it mattered a great deal in the end. As the old Sheffield saying goes, check the Green ‘Un for the score.
"It was difficult for him up against three centre-halves," Wilder added. "He'll have wanted to touch the ball more times, of course. We didn't play forward enough first half. We played a lot quicker in the second half and Ty got more involved.
"The goal's a great one from our point of view. It was a fabulous decision by Gus. Everyone thought he was going to pull the trigger but connected with Callum and it was a brilliant finish from Ty.
"You can't get away from the emotion of it. You live for times like this and I'm so fortunate to have the opportunity to manage this incredible football club. We rolled the dice and got the deserved result in a tight game. I would love us to have played the football you've seen over the last 14 games, but we got a result for the collective effort."