Sheffield United: 'Pressure off' but can Blades produce a miracle after finally winning?

Last updated on 12 January 2021.From the section Sheff Utd317

Sheffield United celebrate — Sheffield United now have five points from 18 games after picking up their first win of the season

After 186 frustrating days, Sheffield United finally got to experience a winning feeling that had not just deserted them but appeared to have packed up and left the country.

Billy Sharp's second-half penalty was enough to secure all three points against Newcastle on Tuesday night and give the Premier League's bottom side the faintest glimmer of hope that they can stave off a relegation they seemed to be heading towards in record time.

The win - Sheffield United's first in 18 attempts in the Premier League this season - moved them to five points, more than doubling their previous tally and leaving them nine points from safety.

Wilder 'delighted' with Blades' first win of the season

That is still a sizeable gap - and they have played at least a game more than their nearest rivals - but Tuesday's win has given United's players something that had increasingly looked to have deserted them - hope.

"It feels good," said Blades boss Chris Wilder. "We should have got more results, we know that, but the performance was good.

"We played with the identity that has been the way we have played for the last few years.

"We've had a load of tight games and we'll take it. I was looking for my car keys and to take up another sport if we'd thrown it away in added time."

The bottom of the Premier League table — How it looks at the bottom of the Premier League table

Can the Blades produce the great escape?

Sheffield United's start has been the worst to an English top-flight season in history, even after this victory, meaning they will still need to produce an incredible turnaround to pull off a great escape.

The lowest points total with which a side has ever stayed up in a 38-game season in the Premier League is 34 - West Brom surviving on that mark in 2005.


Season	Team	Games	Wins	Points
2004-05	West Brom	38	6	34
2008-09	Hull City	38	8	35
2009-10	West Ham	38	8	35
2019-20	Aston Villa	38	9	35
1999-2000	Bradford	38	9	36

The Baggies' six victories that season is also the lowest wins total a team has picked up and still managed to stay up.

To hit even those targets, Sheffield United will need to pick up 29 points from their remaining 20 games - a tally that in itself means they will probably need rather more than the six wins the Baggies managed.

"Everyone has written us off - the pressure is off," striker Sharp told Sky Sports.

"We've not had a great time in the last few months but we've got to keep our heads high now. We're good enough to do it."

West Brom fans invaded the pitch after their 2-0 win over Portsmouth sealed their unlikely surival on the final day in 2004-05 — West Brom fans invaded the pitch after their 2-0 win over Portsmouth sealed their unlikely survival on the final day in 2004-05

So the survival bid starts now?

It does, although United fans may want to savour Tuesday's win a little longer before checking their upcoming fixtures.

On Saturday they host Jose Mourinho's Tottenham before travelling to Premier League leaders Manchester United on Wednesday, 27 January and then heading to Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City.

As runs go they don't come much tougher. But if they can pull off a shock result or two then some may really start to believe that the seemingly impossible could happen.

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317 comments

Comment posted by paul hirst, at 00:17 13 Jan 2021
The blades have so far had the worst case of second season syndrome ever, we are halfway through campaign and Sheffield United will need an incredible turnaround in form to stay up from this point on. But the board should stick by Chris Wilder no matter what happens, hes a decent, honest, honourable coach and did an outstanding job getting them up in the first place.
Reply posted by Torrydee, at 07:45 13 Jan 2021
Torrydee replied:
I was saying the exact same thing.
But I think they may have left it too late.
But they have to keep Wilder regardless.
Comment posted by Napoleon, at 07:24 13 Jan 2021
Newcastle the worst team in the league. No desire to score a goal or win a game. Pass it round in circles, backwards and sideways. How Steve Bruce is allowed anywhere near a football team is unbelievable.
Reply posted by User0273284186, at 13:11 13 Jan 2021
User0273284186 replied:
Totally agree, they were absolutely awful to watch, and they looked like the team who hadn't won a game. Obviously came for a draw and came unstuck.
Comment posted by Mickleover Royal, at 00:43 13 Jan 2021
Derby's only win when they were relegated with 11points, was against Newcastle.
Reply posted by BC-RAWA, at 06:59 13 Jan 2021
BC-RAWA replied:
Sort of hoping that they don’t pick up any more points to rid us of that unwanted record...
Comment posted by Tony Forrest, at 07:00 13 Jan 2021
Sorry to say it Blades fans, but beating the worst team in the league (my team by the way) is not an indicator of turning a corner.
Reply posted by Heyesey, at 11:29 13 Jan 2021
Heyesey replied:
Indeed not. But a recovery has to start somewhere, and squeaking a win atainst a terrible side, three days after beating a lower-division team in the Cup, can give confidence.

Confidence can be powerful. You know the last team that needed 18 games to record their first top-flight win? Sheffield United. 4 points from 17 games - and we finished ninth that year, with title-winning form from then.
Comment posted by PSB808, at 06:44 13 Jan 2021
It was only Newcastle they beat.
Reply posted by Viva Espana, at 07:56 13 Jan 2021
Viva Espana replied:
10-man Newcastle, and only just. Newcastle should get Mark Hughes in. He needs to manage a couple more PL teams to equal Allardici's record.
Comment posted by Alex, at 08:07 13 Jan 2021
Let's be honest here. Newcastle handed them that victory. Pretty much playing 9 at the back.. No midfield and getting every basic wrong for 90 mins.

On another note, how is VAR not turning that Billy Sharp challenge into a red card? It was dangerous and intentional
Reply posted by Dave, at 00:05 14 Jan 2021
Dave replied:
In fairness they earned the win. Nothing is given on a plate even by a crap Newcastle team.
Comment posted by craig, at 09:09 13 Jan 2021
I struggled to comprehend Newcastle’s starting XI against a team with 2 points
Comment posted by Jockness monster , at 06:06 13 Jan 2021
Their next 4 games include Tottenham,man city,man utd so it's very unlikely as you suspect they will be than 9 points from safety after those games
Comment posted by trumptydumpty, at 08:36 13 Jan 2021
No unless they can play a Steve Bruce managed team every week.
Comment posted by starsail1, at 00:43 13 Jan 2021
Easy one this. No.
Comment posted by Paul O, at 13:07 13 Jan 2021
How can this article not mention Sheffield Uniteds great escape of 1990/91 ? Oh yes,before the Premier League. So airbrushed from history.
Comment posted by parkylanestreet, at 00:45 13 Jan 2021
No chance they've lost too much ground however they must fight to make sure they don't end up with any unwanted records go down rebuild come back both Sheffield clubs proper football teams well respected
Comment posted by TheTaylors, at 08:25 13 Jan 2021
Struggling against, and needing a penalty to beat, a 10 man Newcastle team who are less than average even when playing with 11 is hardly the Kickstarter to an impressive season. Sheffield United are a woeful, awful side and will be relegated by April
Reply posted by seamus24, at 10:48 13 Jan 2021
seamus24 replied:
Did you watch the first half? The Blades could have bagged a couple and dominated the game.
Comment posted by Rugby born and bred, at 07:22 13 Jan 2021
No. Beating an equally bad NUFC team is no indicator that they are suddenly going to won 5 or 6 on the bounce
Comment posted by D1679272534260, at 09:24 13 Jan 2021
I think some teams should take a leaf from Wolves or Leeds book. Attack (even in moderation) brings more rewards than attempting to defend and scrape a point over 90 mins. Yesterday, Burnley looked far better when attacking and if Vydra had his shooting boots on they may have got a goal. In any case, if you get related you'll have to play attacking football to win the Championship.
Reply posted by paul, at 09:46 13 Jan 2021
paul replied:
definitely spot on,Norwich(my team) are top because they do mostly attack but its always a tight fight at the top,try picking a 1-2-3 finish,any team in the top 12 can be there at the end,a more exciting league than PL and much tougher to get out of,good luck to S.U,i hope you stay in P.L but they're really in deep doo doo land,play like they did last night & they got a slim chance
Comment posted by borisandtrumpsbarber, at 08:32 13 Jan 2021
The report using words like, miracle, great escape, slightest glimmer of hope and the worst start in history of EPL, and the bookies price it at 8/1..surely that’s legalised crime, Does my head in
Reply posted by Romsey, at 09:12 13 Jan 2021
Romsey replied:
Just checked the odds SUFC are best priced 1/14 to be relegated.Quite a big margin between staying up and being relegated.
Man City are bookies favs to win Premer League at 17/20.
Comment posted by 19darren89, at 08:11 13 Jan 2021
Still going down as they will only get another 3 points when they play newcastle again, who will be joining them if Brucd isnt sacked soon
Reply posted by Doc, at 11:26 13 Jan 2021
Doc replied:
Alas they have already played Newcastle twice.
Comment posted by TrojanOtter, at 07:47 13 Jan 2021
Can they do it? Yes. Will they do it? No.

They have been much better than their results suggest with majority of games being a single goal defeat. But just don’t see them turning majority of these into single goal victories.
Comment posted by Torrydee, at 07:35 13 Jan 2021
It's a win yeah.
But only against a very poor nufc.
But it may just give those players some belief that they can beat teams.
I still think it's too late for them though.
Comment posted by j-bone, at 00:29 13 Jan 2021
Nope, nufc are just that bad...