The five matches that defined Sheffield United's promotion winning season

The Star’s James Shield identifies five key games in the South Yorkshire club’s season, which for different reasons all had a direct impact upon how what, with United also reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup, has been another memorable campaign at Bramall Lane.

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Watford 1-0 Sheffield United (1st August 2022)

The hosts, then led by Rob Edwards, were worthy victors at Vicarage Road. Their forward line of Ismaila Sarr, Joao Pedro and Emmanuel Dennis, who would later join Nottingham Forest, caused United all manner of problems.

With Edwards’ side expected to go on and make an immediate return to the top-flight, the general consensus after this contest was that Heckingbottom had a major job on his hands to challenge for a top two finish. Maybe even a top six one too.

But both United’s coaching staff and players realised there were factors behind their performance in Hertfordshire, including the ineligibility of new signing Anel Ahmedhodzic. And crucially, they learnt from it too, making the necessary adjustments which would go on to see them prosper while Watford eventually floundered.

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Luton Town 1-1 United (26th August 2022)

Not the most eye-catching result United have returned since the beginning of the campaign. But this match at Kenilworth Road saw Oli McBurnie end his long drought without a goal and infused the centre-forward with confidence.

That turned out to be vital, enabling McBurnie to go on and forge a formidable partnership with Iliman Ndiaye whose finishing has also been hugely impressive over the past nine months.

One in-form striker can turbo-charge a team. Possessing two can have a major impact upon any club’s season.

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Cardiff City 0-1 United (12th November 2022)

United’s final outing before the World Cup break saw them travel to the Welsh capital in the midst of a major selection crisis. Around half of Heckingbottom’s squad were unavailable, mostly because of injury, while coaching staff were beginning to rely upon talented but untested young players.

That made Cardiff a threat. But United ground their way through the contest and secured all three points, It provided an insight into their durability and character.

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United 1-3 Middlesbrough (15th February 2023)

It might seem strange to identify a defeat, to a team which at the time was viewed as the biggest threat to their hopes of automatic promotion, as a pivotal moment in United’s season. But it was. Why? Michael Carrick’s side clearly fancied their chances of overhauling Heckingbottom’s men after this result. United’s response, though, was telling. After also losing to Millwall three days later, they then bounced back with a win over Watford and knocked Tottenham Hotspur out of the FA Cup. In short, they held their nerve.

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United 2-0 West Bromwich Albion (26th April 2023)

The win that took United up was delivered courtesy of goals from Sander Berge and Ahmedhodzic. They had to work hard, netting twice after the break against opponents battling for play-off qualification. But this performance, which combined industry and invention, showcased the qualities which have made United such a force. The pefect tribute to a historic campaign.

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