The Media Review: Sheffield United

Albion fans picking up the Sunday papers after the 1-0 defeat away to Sheffield United probably did not expect much praise for Graham Potter’s men. So they would not have been surprised by the verdicts of the reporters who spent Saturday evening at Bramall Lane.

Paul Rowan’s intro in the Sunday Times summed up the missed chance represented by the failure to take even a point. “Brighton & Hove Albion can’t put the towels on the beach just yet as they blew the opportunity to pull themselves away from the relegation zone,” he wrote.

“Graham Potter’s Brighton have taken some big scalps this season but their record against teams below them in the division is awful and means they cannot quite celebrate Premier League safety. ‘Our performance level wasn’t as good as it should have been and we are not good enough to get points if our level drops,’” said Potter.

Richard Gibson put the result in a grim context in the Mail on Sunday. “Sheffield United have not enjoyed Saturdays this season. Then again, they have not enjoyed many days this season.

“Until Saturday night, each of their 11 Premier League matches on a Saturday had ended in defeat but David McGoldrick’s opportunistic goal halted that sorry sequence to provide Paul Heckingbottom with a maiden win in interim charge and maintain the remote possibility that Brighton will follow United into the Championship next season.

“Graham Potter had a nasty stumble in midweek on some seaside steps that left him with a gash under his left eye. It is to be hoped that this one - fuelled by profligacy in front of goal - is less damaging. 

“Neal Maupay alone missed a hat-trick of chances to leave Potter’s team seven points above the relegation zone with five matches remaining. 'You have to score to win football matches, we didn’t have enough quality in the final third and we are disappointed with the result,’ Potter said.

“English football’s lowest scorers added to their paltry tally with the opening goal in the 19th minute when they turned over possession on halfway and Simon Osborn swept the ball into the area. Although Brighton dealt with the initial danger via a half-clearance, it then ricocheted back into the path of McGoldrick off Pascal Gross, and a shot on the turn snuck under the body of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.”

Arindam Rej of the Sunday Telegraph told a story that has become all too familiar over the course of this season.  He wrote: “Graham Potter was left a frustrated man as his Brighton team suffered a painful defeat against already-relegated Sheffield United, with David McGoldrick's early strike doing the damage.

“Brighton have made it a habit to drop points against struggling sides in the Premier League, often against teams currently below them in the table. 

“This one against the troubled Yorkshire club was arguably the worst of the lot, as the home side's boss Paul Heckingbottom finally tasted victory. The club had not picked up a point in the five games since Chris Wilder's departure but that changed here. It was too little, too late for Sheffield United but at least this gives them renewed hope for next season.

“Brighton had picked up three clean sheets in four games including successive 0-0 draws against Everton and Chelsea but they were breached after sloppy play here.

“Potter’s men showed some better intent early in the second half when Jakub Moder broke free and set up Adam Lallana, who drove a shot from the edge of the 18-yard box into the arms of Ramsdale. Lallana kicked the turf in frustration, knowing he should have done better.”

In The Observer, Richard Jolly wrote that “Sheffield United’s season has become a case of how many ignominies they can avoid. They cannot be bracketed in statistically the three worst Premier League teams in history. They can still be joined in the Championship by Brighton, who missed the chance to pull further clear of Fulham and spurned a host of opportunities. Neal Maupay’s remarkable profligacy may yet come at a cost as Brighton failed to score for the third consecutive game.

“Brighton were allowed to dominate possession but there was a familiar lack of ruthlessness as they only mustered three first-half shots while United showed some verve when they could break.

“There was an immediate indication of greater intent when Adam Lallana drilled a shot at Ramsdale after 12 seconds [of the second half]. The goalkeeper was required to make a better save to deny Maupay for a second time after Welbeck released him with a flick.”

Sean Taylor of The Independent wrote that “it felt like an equaliser was coming and Brighton thought they had it after 56 minutes when Jakub Moder turned the ball home from close range following a corner. However, VAR showed the Poland international was clearly offside.

“Lallana was unable to direct a header on target and Bissouma also saw an effort fly wide as the visitors continued to knock at the door. Brighton should have equalised midway through the second half. Alireza Jahanbakhsh cut the ball back for Maupay inside the six-yard box, but the striker somehow lifted his shot over the crossbar.

“It was backs-to-the-wall stuff from the hosts as tried to hold on, which they managed to do courtesy of some wayward finishing from Jahanbakhsh and another fine save from Ramsdale - who did well to push away a swerving, dipping shot from Jose Izquierdo late on.”

David Facey of The Sun on Sunday wrote of Maupay’s miss that “the ball was slightly behind him, but the Frenchman will still never know how he managed to hook it high over the bar. You knew then there was going to be no way back for Potter’s men.”

Michael Beardmore of BBC Sport thought that the disallowed goal “would not have mattered had Brighton converted one of the many other chances they frittered away as they once again failed to turn pressure and domination into goals again. Adam Lallana, Danny Welbeck and Yves Bissouma spurned presentable chances, while Jose Izquierdo, making a first appearance in almost two years after knee problems, was thwarted by Ramsdale late on.

“The Seagulls should have enough points to survive but their failures against the sides below them - Brighton have failed to win any of their eight games against the bottom four - leave them with a nervy run-in against teams all in the top half.”