What Match of the Day pundits said about Sheffield United, John Egan's 'special' equaliser and 'a clear penalty' in draw with Burnley
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The Blades defender hammered home a superb equaliser to grab a deserved point for United after they had gone behind through James Tarkowski’s opener for Burnley.
Chris Wilder pointed out that Egan ‘should have scored 10’ this season, but despite the ribbing from his manager, the Irish international did get plaudits on Match of the Day 2 last night, notably from one of the Premier League’s best goalscorers.
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Hide AdAlan Shearer was taken aback by Egan’s finishing prowess and described the goal as ‘special’ and as far as United were concerned, well deserved.
“Sheffield United take a short corner which might surprise Burnley a little bit,” Shearer said on the programme. “They work it really well, a little flick in from Osborn to Billy Sharp and what a finish that is from Egan. First goal of the season, half volley? What a finish.
"But Sheffield United deserved that because they did come back into the game. It was a special one, absolutely."
The Match of the Day experts also suggested that VAR had been harsh on United yet again, with a penalty appeal waved away, despite Burnley’s Erik Pieters clearly handling the ball as he struggled to deal with a United corner.
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Hide AdMicah Richards was baffled by the decision, saying: “He makes a mistake and then he's tried to rectify it but it's a handball. For me that is a penalty, I don't understand how that can't be a penalty.”
Shearer added: “It's not as if anyone's in his way there, he's got a goodview of the ball coming in, that's come from 30 or 40 yards, it's a fresh air shot and i's hit his arm, that's a clear penalty.”
That backed up the view of Graeme Souness who on Sky Sports compared the incident to that which saw Manchester United awarded a penalty in their match against Bournemouth.
“I was watching the United v Bournemouth game, and with Adam Smith yesterday, there were no arguments that it was an obvious penalty. Is there much difference between that and Adam Smith’s?”