Impressive Patrick Bamford stat highlights his importance to Sheffield United after Lincoln brace
Patrick Bamford scored twice in Sheffield United’s 3-0 win over Lincoln City at Bramall Lane on Saturday afternoon.
It is often said that good things come in threes, and that was certainly the case for Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon.
Having gone into the international break on the back of a third consecutive defeat in all competitions, United returned to winning ways against Lincoln City in their first outing of a busy period leading up to the next international break.
Securing a 3-0 victory, United clinched their biggest Championship win since last December, moving to within two points of the play-off places and five points clear of the relegation zone.
The victory also saw them record just their second clean sheet at Bramall Lane in 2026, while Patrick Bamford got himself back among the goals, scoring a brace for the first time since United’s 2-0 win at Watford in April.
With plenty of positives to pick through, it was a successful afternoon’s work for the Blades, who will turn their attention to Wednesday night’s trip to Portsmouth having secured a much-needed confidence boost.
Not only will the Blades have gained a collective shot in the arm, but Bamford will also have taken plenty of confidence from scoring twice to double his Championship tally for the season. Four goals in eight appearances represents a positive start to the campaign for the 33-year-old.
His brace against Lincoln marked his 17th and 18th goals in United colours. Making 39 appearances for the club since arriving on a free transfer last November, the striker is not far off averaging a goal every two games.
Considering he arrived at Bramall Lane facing questions about his injury record and reliability, his first year as a United player has been a success story. Add in the two assists he has registered in red and white stripes, and he has been directly involved in 20 goals in his first 39 appearances for the club.
With 18 goals across all competitions, Bamford has now scored more goals in his first 39 games for the Blades than he managed in his final four seasons at Leeds United, during which he scored 17 goals in 95 appearances.
Bamford lost momentum towards the end of his Elland Road career because of injury problems and stiff competition for a starting berth. When Leeds secured the Championship title in 2024/25, for example, the striker was restricted to 17 appearances because of a muscle injury and the form of Joël Piroe.
After arriving at Bramall Lane last November, Bamford was quickly installed as manager Chris Wilder’s first-choice striker amid the absence of a recognised No. 9. He hit the ground running in S2, ending the campaign with 13 goals in just 29 appearances.
Bamford thrived as United’s main man, quickly silencing his critics in the process.
Having got himself back among the goals against Lincoln, Bamford’s challenge now, of course, is to make scoring regularly a habit. He has scored in successive games for the Blades on only two occasions, meaning that finding a greater level of consistency must be his next aim.
However, having scored 18 goals in 39 matches since arriving in South Yorkshire, Bamford’s record is impossible to criticise. His performances highlight the importance of United keeping him injury-free and continuing to supply him with balls into the penalty area that he can confidently convert.