Sheffield United’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end at home to Norwich City this afternoon. The Blades picked up their first win in the Championship on Tuesday night but couldn’t follow that up with three more points at Bramall Lane.
There were some positive signs, though, even if they were indebted once again to Michael Cooper for keeping them in the game with some smart saves. Patrick Bamford had equalised after Anthony Musaba’s opener, before Mohamed Toure raced clear to restore their lead on the stroke of half-time.
Earlier debutant Liam Kitching had a header ruled out for an apparent foul on goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic, who seemed to run into Patrick Bamford and get the decision, and sub Mathias Kvistgaarden wrapped up the points on the rebound after Hamza Choudhury blocked former Blade Andre Brooks’ shot on the line.
Here’s how we rated United’s players on the afternoon...
1. Michael Cooper 6
Harsh for him to be on the losing side as, once again, he showed signs of being back to the top form we saw from him in his first season at Bramall Lane. He got a hand to Musaba's opener when most goalkeepers wouldn't have got close to it and was exposed for their second but around those he made saves to keep United in the game, denying Musaba early in the second half after an even better save kept out Brooks' well-struck effort down to his left | The Star/Sport image
2. Hamza Choudhury 5
Had a difficult United 'debut' on Tuesday night but looked more defensively assured here in the early stages, with one excellently-timed challenge preventing a Norwich breakaway after Mattsson had got away from a couple of United players. But then as the game wore on Musaba began to cause him problems down the Norwich left and Toure headed wide after one such move, although Choudhury did well to block Brooks' effort on the line and then initially looked to have done so again with Wright's follow-up effort before the referee's watch buzzed to tell him the ball had gone over the line
3. Japhet Tanganga 5
The United skipper was another of three or four players who could have closed down quicker for City's opening goal and then there was too big of a gap between him and Kitching for the second, which a neat touch exploited as Toure raced away to score just before half-time. Perhaps it's just the signs of a new partnership taking time to build but Tanganga and Co. were indebted to Cooper that they were in the game as long as they were | The Star/Sport Image
4. Liam Kitching 5.5
The debutant gave Unitedites an early glimpse of what they can expect from the Coventry City loanee with a decisive early header but one at the other end looked to have made a bigger impact when he nodded in Peck's corner at the back post. But the whistle had already gone for an apparent 'foul' on the 'keeper, who ran straight into Bamford and went down to win the decision. Saw yellow late in the first half for poleaxing Toure, who had moments earlier incensed United players and fans with his celebration after scoring, | Sheffield United