Sheffield United: Plenty of work to do for both The Blades and Swansea City as their meeting ends in stalemate

“Oli,” read a banner raised aloft in the home end before kick-off, “Mitch says thank you very much.”
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What Mitch thought about tonight’s game, other than being delighted at the fact his hero was introduced until the fag end of the contest, we will probably never know. But after watching it end in a goalless stalemate, Slavisa Jokanovic and Russell Martin both departed the Liberty Stadium knowing they have plenty of work to do if their teams are to live up to their billing as promotion contenders.

There was no shortage of industry or effort, even before Sheffield United introduced the indefatigable Oli McBurnie during the closing stages. But quality and final product? Well, that was a different matter. Neither the visitors nor Swansea City, even though Martin claimed otherwise, possessed even a smattering of either.

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Only two games into the season and with new managers at the helm, neither United nor City have any cause for panic. But even at the beginning of their respective projects, Jokanovic and his counterpart across the technical area know they have plenty of work to do in order to transform their teams into top two challengers.

Slavisa Jokanovic Simon Bellis / SportimageSlavisa Jokanovic Simon Bellis / Sportimage
Slavisa Jokanovic Simon Bellis / Sportimage

Naming Billy Sharp, Chris Basham and Rhian Brewster in their starting eleven, United started on the front foot before surrendering their advantage as the half wore on. David McGoldrick came within a whisker of hunting down Steven Benda when the City goalkeeper dwelled a little too long on the ball. Sharp was even closer to sending Oliver Burke clean through, but his attempted pass over the head of a defender turned out to be an inch or so too low.

Adopting the smart casual look favoured by Pep Guardiola and so inevitably most up-and-coming coaches too, Russell Martin had cause to be concerned during the opening skirmishes as United seemed destined to seize control. But with Sander Berge also inclined to take too many touches, City grew in stature as the contest began to settle down. They didn’t create any clear cut chances, until Jamal Lowe tried his luck from range just past the hour mark. But they did control possession; much to Jokanovic’s obvious frustration inside the technical area.

The Serb’s blood pressure began to lower as the interval approached, with the momentum ebbing back in the visitors’ favour. Sharp’s glancing header, from an Oliver Norwood set-piece, was saved. Likewise McGoldrick’s angled drive from long distance. But neither side had impressed their respective benches by the time Keith Stroud ushered them down the tunnel.

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Despite some changes in personnel, the second-half meandered much the same way as the first.

Lowe tested Aaron Ramsdale’s reactions with a well-struck shot. United worked hard but, like their opponents, created little.

McBurnie, making his first return to south Wales since returning to his native Yorkshire two summers ago, brought some much needed presence to United’s attack. But barring some long-range pot shots and miscued efforts, Benda wasn’t tested. The same, Lowe’s low drive apart, went for Ramsdale.

Swansea City: Benda, Manning, Downes, Cabango, Grimes, Lowe (Piroe 63), Paterson (Dhanda 88), Cooper, Cullen (Whittaker 72), Latibeaudiere, Bidwell. Not used: Webb, Joseph, McFayden, Williams.

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Sheffield United: Ransdale, Baldock, Basham, Brewster (Bogle 76), Berge, Sharp (McBurnie 59), Egan, Burke (Osborn 59), Norwood, McGoldrick, Robinson. Not used: Verrips, Fleck, Freeman, Norrington-Davies.