'Still buzzing' Sheffield United match-winner reveals one thing he'd change from Sheffield Wednesday win

Rhian Brewster is still buzzing from his match-winning goal against Sheffield Wednesday earlier this month - although he’d have preferred a more comfortable scoreline.

Brewster was the hero at Hillsborough just over a week ago as United recorded their second 1-0 win of the season over Steel City rivals Wednesday. The 24-year-old’s decisive effort came just beyond the hour mark, a close-range finish after some excellent work down the right from Tyrese Campbell.

Chris Wilder opted to start Brewster ahead of Callum O’Hare with the aim of having someone closer around frontman Campbell, and the Blades boss was duly rewarded as the pair linked up. But United also had goalkeeper Michael Cooper to thank once again as the home side pushed for a late equaliser, which made for a nervy finish.

Rhian Brewster ‘buzzing’ after derby-day goal

It’s been another difficult season for Brewster, who had endured torrid luck with injuries since joining United almost five years ago, but an improvement in availability has seen him feature 29 times in the league, with 11 starts. And a match-winning derby-day goal is the perfect pay-off, albeit he’d have preferred a more comfortable final half hour.

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“One of the staff members asked me how many times I’ve watched and I said ‘not enough!” Brewster joked in an interview with Sky Sports. “But I’m definitely still buzzing. Yeah, 100 percent [it was unbelievable] because I had a little niggle the first time we played them at Bramall Lane and I was disappointed to not be involved in that one.

“Obviously I was still with the boys cheering them on but to be involved in this one, all the stuff around it, obviously it being at Hillsborough, it was just an amazing feeling to score the only goal. I would have liked it if we beat them 3-0 or something so it was a bit more comfortable towards the end but to score the only goal, to get the win. The ultimate goal is to push for promotion and it was a big three points at the end of the day.”

Brewster’s goal a big boost for Sheffield United’s promotion hopes

That match-winning derby-day goal went some way to giving United fans what they wanted from Brewster following his £20m-plus move from Liverpool in 2020. The striker’s five years in South Yorkshire have largely been wretched but this season has seen improvements, and the forward admitted after the win at Hillsborough: “I hope this makes the fans still believe in me.”

Local bragging rights will have been welcomed among supporters but even more important was three points, with United pulling level alongside league leaders Leeds United following that derby-day win. The Blades are now well placed to stake their claim for automatic promotion and have just eight games to hold onto their top-two spot.

United return to action before main rivals Leeds and Burnley, with the chance to leapfrog the former into first if they take a point or three at home to in-form Coventry City on Friday night. Daniel Farke’s Whites host Swansea City on Saturday afternoon while the Clarets are at home to Bristol City.

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