Sheffield United fans baffled over team-of-season omissions as Sunderland, Leeds United, Norwich City dominate

The ‘new’ Championship season is now almost a third of the way through and the runners and riders for a Premier League push are rapidly assembling. Sunderland have been perhaps the surprise package, their youngsters helping them to the top of the table going into the break, while last season’s relegated sides have enjoyed contrasting starts to the new campaign.

While Luton Town have badly struggled, Burnley are once again promotion contenders but it is Sheffield United who have enjoyed the most impressive turnaround. Battered and bruised from a Premier League campaign that saw them ship 104 goals and suffer 28 league defeats, they pressed reset in the summer and no side in the Championship this season has won more games or earned more points.

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They would be out on their own at the top but for their minus-two point deduction imposed earlier this year and only Burnley have conceded fewer than their seven goals in 15 games, with Michael Cooper keeping a remarkable nine clean sheets in his 13 games since arriving at Bramall Lane from Plymouth Argyle. That’s the best percentage in the Championship, with Leeds’ Illan Meslier recording nine blanks from his 15 appearances.

United’s brilliant defensive record has also been improved by the addition of Harry Souttar, the Australian international who was once again in imperious form during Sunday’s 1-0 derby victory over rivals Wednesday. He and Anel Ahmedhodzic have formed a superb partnership at the heart of the United defence, a foundation upon which United’s push for an instant return to the Premier League has been built.

It came as a surprise to Unitedites, then, that more of their players were not included when EFL sponsors SkyBet compiled their Championship ‘team of the season’ so far. The Blades had one representative - midfielder Vini Souza, a justified call given his form this campaign - but Cooper and Souttar were notable absentees, with Stoke’s Viktor Johansson - ironically a former player of interest for United - in goal.

Souttar also missed the cut with Norwich’s Manchester City loanee Callum Doyle joined by Pascal Struijk of Leeds at centre-half. Norwich, for context, are 14th in the table and have conceded 22 goals this season, although in fairness Doyle has mitigated that with an impressive five assists from the backline.

Posting on Twitter, fan Matt Kitson summed up the situation by writing: “Ten clean sheets out of 15 for Blades and no keeper or defenders in this team 😂,” while fellow Blade Will Hillier suggested replacing Johansson, Doyle and Sunderland left-back Dennis Cirkin with Cooper, Souttar and Harrison Burrows, the second-highest rated player in Whoscored.com’s Championship rankings this season.

As is always the way with these things, fans from sides all across the Championship will make a case for their own heroes to have been included but Souttar certainly had a real case given his impact so far. It won’t bother anyone at United too much, however - there is a prize far greater that they are chasing come the end of the season...

SkyBet Championship ‘team of the season’ so far: Viktor Johansson (Stoke City), Trai Hume (Sunderland), Callum Doyle (Norwich), Pascal Struijk (Leeds), Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland), Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds), Vini Souza (Sheffield United), Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough), Borja Sainz (Norwich), Josh Sargent (Norwich), Josh Maja (West Brom).