Sheffield United loan watch: Luke Freeman struggles on Nottingham Forest return as Rhys Norrington-Davies shows 'fiery side' for Stoke City

Sheffield United made it two wins out of three by beating Plymouth Argyle 2-1 in the FA Cup fourth round at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
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The Blades will now face Bristol City in the next round after goals from Chris Basham and Billy Sharp were enough to see off a determined Argyle side, despite a nervy final 15 minutes when Panutche Camara pulled a goal back for Ryan Lowe’s men.

But what about the players who are not currently part of the first team picture at Bramall Lane?

Let’s take a look to see how they fared at the weekend.

Sheffield United's Luke Freeman is on loan at Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Sheffield United's Luke Freeman is on loan at Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Sheffield United's Luke Freeman is on loan at Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Luke Freeman

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The 28-year-old midfielder is currently on a season-long loan with Championship side Nottingham Forest.

Freeman, who joined United for a then club record £5m from Queens Park Rangers in the summer of 2019, has recovered from surgery to correct a hernia problem and made his first start for Chris Hughton’s men since November in the 5-1 drubbing by Swansea City in the FA Cup fourth round at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

But the former Arsenal and Bristol City man’s struggles Trentside continued when he was hooked at half-time after he failed to stamp his authority on a game in which Forest were very much second best.

Nottinghamshire Live’s Leigh Curtis, in giving Freeman a rating of four, wrote: “Had a couple of occasions in which he tested the Swansea defence from free-kicks, but in open play, he didn’t have a major impact in trying to unsettle the Swansea defence.”

Rhys Norrington-Davies

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Wales under-21 international Norrington-Davies was recalled from his season-long loan at Luton Town earlier this month to allow him to join the Hatters’ Championship rivals Stoke City until the end of the current campaign.

The 21-year-old left-back, who put pen to paper on a new long-term contract with the Blades in December, limped off in the 77th minute of the Potters’ 2-1 defeat to Watford at the Bet365 Stadium on Friday evening.

Norrington-Davies was caught by a loose stamp on the back of his foot by Watford captain Troy Deeney in the opening minutes of the second half but played on until the latter stages of the game.

Speaking to the media afterwards, Stoke manager Michael O’Neill provided an update on the Blades youngster’s condition.

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"I think he's ok. It was a sore one but I think he should be fine - although I'm not able to assess that medically in any great detail at this minute in time," he said.

Peter Smith, of StokeonTrentLive, hailed Norrington-Davies’ battling qualities in giving him a rating of six, writing: “Lucky he didn’t concede a penalty but showed his fiery side after turning down a stretcher.”

Tyler Smith

Twenty-two-year-old striker Smith joined League One outfit Swindon Town on a season-long loan in August.

The forward, who has not made a senior appearance for the Blades, has netted seven goals during his loan spell at the County Ground but hasn’t featured since he was substituted in the 4-1 home defeat to MK Dons on December 29 and didn’t make the matchday squad for the Robins’ 2-2 draw at Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

Ismaila Coulibaly

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Mali under-20 midfielder Coulibaly joined United from Norwegian outfit Sarpsborg 08 earlier this season and was immediately sent out on loan for the next three seasons to high-flying Belgian side Beerschot, the Blades’ sister club.

Coulibaly, who has been named in United’s list of U21 players for the 2020/21 campaign, has scored five goals this season across the Channel but failed to find the back of the net in his side’s 3-0 win over Waregem in the Jupiler League yesterday.

The win moves Beerschot, who unveiled 28-year-old Will Still as the club’s new head coach last week following the departure of Argentinian Hernán Losada to MLS outfit DC United, up to ninth place in the standings – 18 points behind table-topping Club Brugge.

George Broadbent

The 20-year-old midfielder joined Coulibaly at Beerschot earlier this month on a deal until the end of the season.

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Broadbent – who has been in decent form for the Blades’ under 23s this season, scoring four goals and providing three assists – made his debut in Beerschot’s 3-0 defeat against Jupiler League leaders Club Brugge eight days ago but wasn’t in the matchday squad under new head coach Will Still for yesterday’s 3-0 win at Waregem.

Regan Slater

United allowed the 21-year-old midfielder to join League One league leaders Hull City on a season-long loan in November and he has made 17 appearances so far in East Yorkshire.

He was introduced as an 84th minute substitute by Tigers manager Grant McCann in the 4-0 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday and writing for HullLive, City writer Barry Cooper said of Slater’s late cameo: “Fresh legs as the game fizzled out. 6/10.”

Jéan Leroy Belehouan

The 20-year-old French central defender joined National League Premier side FC Halifax Town on loan for the remainder of the season earlier this month.

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Belehouan, who is a second-year scholar with the Blades and plays for the under 23s, was an unused substitute in the sixth-placed Shaymen’s 2-1 win at 10-man Bromley on Saturday.

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