Sheffield United: Has this attack-minded team also mastered the art of winning ugly?

Sheffield United demonstrated plenty of style and no little skill during their latest win of a potentially historic season.
Sheffield United beat Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday night: Simon Bellis/SportimageSheffield United beat Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday night: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Sheffield United beat Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday night: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

But it was the resilience they displayed towards the end of Tuesday victory over Queens Park Rangers which, as the race for the play-offs enters a critical phase, pleased John Lundstram the most.

United appeared set to enjoy a comfortable evening when the midfielder doubled their lead following Richard Stearman’s opener. But it was after Luke Freeman’s effort put the outcome back in doubt that, according to Lundstram, Chris Wilder’s side displayed the hallmarks of a top six team.

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“Coming through tests like that can help us, in the long run,” he said. “We showed character. There are times when we have played well this season but not won. The difference against QPR is we didn’t play as well but won. That has to be a positive. We are fighting.”

Lundstram, who moved to South Yorkshire following last term’s League One title triumph, admitted mastering the art of grinding out results has featured prominently on seventh placed United’s agenda in recent weeks.

“I think you can see the spirit in the squad,” he continued, ahead of tomorrow’s visit to Hull City. “We are an incredibly tight group of players and that shines through. We were all round each other at the end, that spirit will take us a long way.

“The lads were great against Leeds the match before. It wasn’t our best performance then against QPR but we ground out the win.

“No-one is going to look back in May and say we didn’t play well. We got the three points, that is what mattered, that’s all the counts.”