Sky Sports pundit, Graeme Souness, has compared the Blades to Barcelona in his post-match comments.
Graeme Souness was impressed with the Blades (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images)
The former Liverpool midfielder was in the studio to watch first-hand how good Sheffield United can be. An impressive opening hour was dismantled in a quick-fire ten minute spell from the visitors.
However, the Blades fought back and got a draw when Oli McBurnie equalised late on. It was just rewards for the home side, who had led 2-0 going into the last 20 minutes.
Despite throwing the lead away, Souness was impressed with what he saw, and compared the Blades to Barcelona for some of their football.
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“I think they are a great watch,” Souness said.
“They go long when they have to. It was only when Mousset went off they didn’t stretch United back so much, allowing United to squeeze up, and that is when they came right into the game.
“John Fleck said in his interview that they don’t have the quality of the other teams. I disagree with that because as well as going long at the right times, there were times when they were like Barcelona in tight areas.”
John Fleck was instrumental for Sheffield United again (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)
The Blades dominated for large periods of the game but tired somewhat as the game wore on. However, it took a wonderful Brandon Williams strike to get Man United back in the game. From there, the likes of Dan James and Marcus Rashford showed their class.
Souness picks out John Fleck as ‘master craftsman’
There was more praise from the usually hard to please Souness, too. He expanded his comments further and had special praise for one of his fellow countrymen.
“John Fleck is a little craftsmen. Great technique. He can get around the park. In the first half, he takes a corner and it gets cleared. Within a few seconds he is tackling Marcus Rashford in the right-back position.
“The ball for the second goal, the accuracy of that pass,” he added.
Fleck certainly was at the heart of everything the Blades did well. Crucially, he has now started adding goals to his game to go along with his fine midfield displays.
However you want to take Graeme Souness and his Barcelona comparisons, it’s great times for the Blades and a big distance away from League One just over three years ago.
