Kyle Walker scores the winner as Manchester City grind out victory against Sheffield United
Richard Jolly
·20 min read
walker celebrates his goal vs sheffield united - NMC POOL
Perhaps it was a day for lifelong fans to disappoint the clubs they grew up supporting. While Pep Guardiola reiterated that his days as Barcelona manager are in the past, Kyle Walker marked his return to Bramall Lane by leaving Sheffield United marooned in the relegation zone.
Walker, who joined United at seven, never scored for them. He has nevertheless proved their nemesis twice, finding the net on his homecomings for both Aston Villa and Manchester City. Guardiola’s dominance required a cutting edge and the former Blade supplied it.
Perhaps it was a modicum of revenge for Guardiola. City did an unprecedented domestic treble in 2019 but Chris Wilder nevertheless pipped him to the League Managers Association’s manager of the year award. As the Catalan has made his slowest start to a league season and the Yorkshireman United’s worst since 1975, neither is exactly on course to scoop the individual honours so far. Guardiola could nevertheless savour the outcome. For the second time in three league games, City ground out a 1-0 win.
For United, there was a certain cruelty in the identity of the scorer. Walker’s goalmouth contributions tend to revolve around his remarkable capacity to clear off his own line but he arrowed a shot into the bottom corner of Aaron Ramsdale’s net from 25 yards. “A fabulous finish,” said a gracious Wilder, but cue a muted reaction from the scorer. “My mum and dad live here, so if I’d celebrated, I’d have got a lot of stick,” Walker rationalised. “He loves this club,” said Guardiola.
Barcelona occupy a similar place in his heart. Victor Font, a frontrunner to become Barcelona’s next president, has been public in his wish to take Guardiola back to the Nou Camp. The City manager is adamant that chapter in his career has been completed as he delivered an endorsement of the former team-mate who has the job he graced. “My career as a manager in Barcelona is over,” he said. “There are incredible people who can be in charge. Ronald Koeman is an incredible manager. It's over. I am happy here. Hopefully they can choose the right person and I will come back to watch a game, but it's done.”
He has more immediate worries. “Nine goals from six games is not good enough,” he admitted. Walker at least provided an unexpected addition to City’s scorers. In his own way, he has emerged as a talismanic figure. City have a habit of buying other right-backs, whether Danilo or Joao Cancelo, and Walker sees off their challenge. His campaign began with the self-inflicted low of a red card on his England comeback, but it has improved dramatically.
And City required his intervention. “We struggled to score goals from the chances we created:16 shots, eight on target,” Guardiola noted. Even clubs of their wealth sometimes have to make compromises and, minus Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus, winger Ferran Torres again found himself impersonating a centre-forward. His was a promising performance of willing running, though Ramsdale won a personal duel with a hat-trick of saves.
Torres threatened to score a traditional No. 9’s goal when Bernardo Silva crossed, the Spaniard rose highest and Ramsdale parried his header. Torres showed a predator’s instinct, too, to materialise at the near post and meet Raheem Sterling’s low centre. Ramsdale made a point-blank block, and was quick to come off his line when Torres accelerated behind the Blades’ defence, standing tall to hold an attempted chip.
It amounted to a busy afternoon for Ramsdale. If he fumbled as he tipped Rodri’s long-range effort over the bar, he kept the scoreline down with a display of agility. Riyad Mahrez, who had a free kick tipped wide, could also testify to the summer signing’s fine form. City had other openings, notable when Aymeric Laporte thudded a half-volley into the advertising hoardings from Kevin de Bruyne’s cross, when the Belgian thundered a shot wide and when Sterling almost dribbled the ball in.
United were trapped on the back foot for the most part. “If people think we can open up to Manchester City they haven’t got a clue about football,” said a blunt Wilder, who felt United caused their own problems. “When you don’t win games, people talk about tactics and shapes, but when you can’t pass from A to B, good players keep the ball away from you. We gave it away really cheaply. Sometimes it is not enough to be an aggressive, competitive side that has a go. You have to show why you deserve to play in this division.”
Relegation is an increasingly real threat, but United could have made City pay for their profligacy. “They had one clear chance and no more than that,” said Guardiola. But that opportunity was a golden one and fell to John Lundstram. Time is ticking on the midfielder’s United career after he rejected a new contract and Wilder demoted him to the bench. But when he came on, he met the cutback from a marauding Sander Berge by lofting a shot over the bar. United are stuck on one league goal in open play this season. Their former right-back Walker has as many on his own.
02:23 PM
FULL TIME
A fairly simple job very efficiently done by Man City here. Sheffield United aren't very good this season, Wilder's going to have to do something special to ensure their season isn't a really long one.
02:22 PM
90 mins+2 - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
City defending well here, forcing Sheff Utd to go backwards and sideways. When they go long City win the ball back immediately.
02:18 PM
89 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
Norwood tries a long ball forward but punts it straight out for a throw. That's why you build it up with a little more patience.
02:16 PM
86 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
Silva dribbles inside from the right wing, into the box, takes a touch, shoots at goal... straight at the goalkeeper.
Ederson then spots Sterling's run in behind the defence and almost gives him a tap in! An absolutely amazing long ball over the top forces Ramsdale off his line and he manages to get his head to the ball to kill the danger.
02:13 PM
83 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
McManaman is urging United to just launch the ball forward and get it up the pitch... and eventually they do and allow City the chance to counter-attack. City push up and keep the ball moving. I think Guardiola's just trying to suffocate the game now, slow it right down and see the win out.
02:10 PM
80 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
Foden is about to come on, presumably for Torres who has disappeared in this half.
02:08 PM
77 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
After a brief spell of Sheffield United creating chances and keeping the ball, City are back in charge. They have all the possession.
02:05 PM
74 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
Raheem Sterling is some player. Honestly, it's games like these where you realise what a talent he is. Sheffield United defenders are falling to the floor trying to stop him from dribbling around but he seems to play on a slightly different time zone to those around him, taking little pauses to win space.
02:01 PM
71 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
BREWSTER IS CLEAN THROUGH! And he's chipped the ball straight into the goalkeeper. Terrible finish but the offside flag has gone up anyway as soon as Ederson catches it.
02:00 PM
70 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
Another big chance for Sheffield United! Great play on the right wing, more short passes and patience until the low ball is cut back from the goal line to Lundstram on the edge of the box, who should really score but punts his shot over the bar.
01:58 PM
67 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
Steve McManaman keeps moaning about Sheffield United not crossing the ball into the box when they have the chance, opting for short passes in wide areas as they patiently probe for an opening, but it makes sense to me. Sure enough, a ball into the box might create a chance from a header but the most likely outcome is that City's defenders head the thing away and start a counter-attack, which is exactly what Wilder is trying to avoid. By having players keep the ball and wait for a slight opening, they might be able to take advantage of a higher value chance. If early crossing in gives you a five per cent chance of scoring, say, then it makes sense to wait for an opportunity to get the ball in from closer and get a 20-30 per cent chance.
And as I type that, Sheffield United create their best chance of the game by doing exactly that!
01:54 PM
65 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
Ampadu has had a terrible game and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets hooked at some point soon. I count that as three times he's gifted the ball to City in dangerous positions.
01:52 PM
62 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
team shapes
City are focusing over 50 per cent of their attacks on the left side, with Laporte, Cancelo and Sterling the danger men on that side. You can see City's team shape shows a heavy bias to that side, with De Bruyne and Rodri ensuring they have an overload in midfield in defensive and attacking phases of play. Sheffield United just have absolutely no depth or midfield. There are strikers chasing long passes, wide players and centre-backs.
01:49 PM
60 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
Mahrez takes charge of a free-kick 25 yards out and drills a low shot to the far corner rather than a high one to the near post, but Ramsdale is quick to get down and turns it behind for a corner.
Sheffield United clear but City are back in possession immediately.
01:46 PM
57 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
Lovely play by Walker as another passing move allows City to work the ball up the pitch. Walker takes on a defender and beats him by pushing the ball round one side then sprinting round the other, breaks to the line and cuts back into the area. De Bruyne fires a shot at goal but drags it wide of the far post.
Osborn comes off to be replaced by last season's Fantasy Football hero John Lundstram. Wilder not happy with what he's seeing.
01:43 PM
54 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
What a ball! Torres runs from out to in across the defence and sprints onto a brilliant pass played between defenders and through lines. Ramsdale comes out to close it down but is stranded! Torres tries to lob him with a shot from outside the box but doesn't get the height needed and smacks it into the goalkeeper's gloves.
01:40 PM
51 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
Cancelo is another player really shining today. He's just turned a defender inside out with a great first touch and some subtle shoulder drops, and I have a nice stat about him today as well. Cancelo has created five chances so far in this game - the most any player has made in Premier League a game this season is six.
01:37 PM
48 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
An early chance to get a free-kick into the box from deep is wasted as Berge punts a cross straight out for a goal kick.
01:35 PM
KICK OFF 2
Right then. Sheffield United get the second half started.
01:32 PM
I second this
Shout out to the person playing the tunes at half-time at Bramall Lane.
Playing the Bond theme, and back-to-back Bond classics over the PA👏👏👏#RIPSeanConnery
Man City have made 350 passes with an 86 per cent success rate, controlling the game. Sheffield United have made 151 with a 72.8 per cent success rate, launching it from goal kicks, looking for McBurnie early and giving possession away in the middle of the pitch. The question for the manager is whether his approach to the match is actually working or if the players are letting him down.
01:20 PM
HALF TIME
City pretty good, Sheffield United look a bit like a lower league team. They're not out of this at all - one goal would level the score - but City seem to have control of the match.
01:17 PM
45 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
Sheffield United finally putting some passes together in the City half, trying to get crosses in from the wings but lacking a final ball good enough to create a chance.
01:15 PM
43 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
City's forwards are pulling the Sheffield United defenders apart, twisting and turning, outpacing, and causing havoc. They're being gifted space to attack by poor passing in the midfield - Wilder's team are offering nothing when in possession. Long balls.
01:13 PM
40 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
A nice De Bruyne stat here for you:
Kevin De Bruyne been directly involved in 20 goals in his last 20 starts in all competitions (10 goals, 10 assists).
He's quite good at the old football.
01:09 PM
37 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
United win a corner and put about six players around Ederson. The cross is fired in and Walker manages to head away. The second corner is headed out and then cleared by Cancelo. The counter-attack is on! Or it was until Baldock flies in to take man and ball with a slide tackle.
Ampadu takes Silva out with a slide tackle and the City player can't understand why he hasn't been booked for it. I'm inclined to agree with him.
The free-kick is whipped into the area and comes off a head for a corner.
01:07 PM
34 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
City win a free-kick 25 yards out and De Bruyne is lining up his shot. He's gone for low shots at the near post a few times from this position so I wonder if he'll try the same again... he has! Ramsdale reads it and saves easily. Berge was the only one in the wall who jumped, which just happened to be exactly the place De Bruyne hit it.
01:04 PM
31 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 1
City just look much better than Sheffield United here. Sterling is tearing it up o the left wing, causing so much damage with his running and dribbling.
01:00 PM
GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!!!
WALKER SCORES!
What a hit that was! Sterling is absolutely magic, skipping past two players with a quick dribble, sprinting up the wing, going past another, cuts back, finds De Bruyne and he opens up the pitch with a long pass to Walker in midfield.
Let's talk about Raheem Sterling's quick feet ⚡️⚡️
Walker doesn't celebrate because he supports Sheffield United.
01:00 PM
28 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 0
city shape
Look at this. It's not a penalty shootout - this is how both teams are organised for Sheffield United goal kicks. Rodri is challenging McBurnie in the air and the rain is absolutely pelting it down.
12:57 PM
25 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 0
HOW IS THAT NOT A GOAL!? City work one of their quick passing moves around the area, Sterling nutmegs Egan and finds Torres at the near post but he stabs his shot straight into Ramsdale. I think the shot may even have been going wide. Sterling is causing real problems on the left.
City attack again down the left. De Bruyne finds Cancelo, who crosses to Mahrez, who launches his shot miles over the bar.
12:54 PM
22 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 0
There's a sign in the stands that says 'You fill up my senses' and I have no idea what that means or why it's there.
12:52 PM
19 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 0
WOOF! Didn't know Rodri had a long range shot in him but he absolutely does. The midfielder has space to run into, so does, then decides to have a go from 30 yards, firing a powerful effort at goal. Ramsdale struggles to read the flight and has to just get his fists behind it to avoid being caught by the dip.
12:49 PM
16 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 0
Rodri has pulled out of a 50/50 on a bouncing ball and that has put his teammates in a lot of trouble! Rather than head the ball and get wiped out he pauses, then hits a loose pass straight to Lowe, who drives into the box and drills a low cross back into the area. Blocked by the defence. Guardiola's not happy with Rodri.
De Bruyne is about a yard away from threading Sterling clean in behind the defence during a quick counter-attack, having his pass just cut out by a stretched leg.
12:46 PM
13 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 0
United flooding their own box when City have the ball in the final third. Sterling is standing on the corner of the box and there are seven, maybe eight, players all in a tight block stood in his way.
A corner for City. It's struck low to the near post, Laporte times his run to connect and gets a volley on goal from 12 yards but smashes it wide.
12:44 PM
11 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 0
United are trying to push high up the pitch and hit goal kicks long to the big lads but City are using that high line to their own advantage by getting Ederson to look for runners in behind. Mahrez almost breaks away onto one long pass.
12:41 PM
8 mins -Sheffield United 0 Man City 0
Sheff Utd are trying to get the ball forward quickly by firing passes backwards. As in they win the ball, ping it into the furthest available player, he lays it back first time and the next pass is then struck to the furthest available player immediately after.
City are patiently passing their way up the pitch, work a move on the left and cross in for TORRES!!!! He heads at goal... and it's saved by Ramsdale. Big save from the goalkeeper!
12:38 PM
5 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 0
McBurnie has grown a moustache and now looks like he works down the mines to earn enough money to pay for his five children, one of which has some sort of disease that was eradicated in 1912. I'm a big fan.
I should probably mention the football. Nothing's really happening, both teams figuring each other out.
12:35 PM
3 mins - Sheffield United 0 Man City 0
It's taken McBurnie 16 seconds to commit his first foul, absolutely battering into Ruben Dias let him know he's in a game. Lovely.
Sheffield United's players all look massive compared to the City ones actually.
12:33 PM
KICK OFF
Here we go!
12:29 PM
Here come the players
James Trafford is in the stands as a late replacement for another youth player who (I think) has pulled out injured. Look how young this lad is:
trafford
He's a goalkeeper, in case you were wondering.
12:07 PM
Dias and Laporte
These two could be one of the great Premier League defensive partnerships. Both are excellent on the ball, strong, powerful in the air, and suit Guardiola's tactical demands perfectly. I did a profile on Ruben Dias a few weeks ago in case you wanted to find out some more about Man City's expensive new defender.
11:56 AM
Here are the teams in a more easily readable form
11:45 AM
Can they do it on a wet afternoon in Sheffield?
Hello and welcome to our liveblog for Sheffield United vs Manchester City. Rather than rabble on about nothing, let's get stuck into the teams and how we think this match might go.
It's a fairly rank day in the entire of England today which might give us some lovely slide tackles and may also help with the speed of City's passing but neither team has found their form yet and although Pep Guardiola's side look way stronger, we can't be sure they'll play like that.
Sheffield United, as ever, are in 3-5-2 formation with those infamous overlapping centre-backs. Max Lowe is in at left wing-back and is a player I've watched many times when he was at Aberdeen. He's a quick, clever wide defender who can play a few different positions with an excellent cross on him but will have to find a way past Kyle Walker this afternoon.
city formations
City are always a 4-3-3 which morphs into a 3-4-3 and a 2-3-5 depending on where the ball is. No strikers are available today and I suspect Raheem Sterling will play through the middle rather than Ferran Torres, in something like a false nine.
Guardiola has been making more noises about bringing back the five substitutes rule:
"In the Premier League players have 47% more muscular injuries than the previous season, due to no preparation for most of the teams and the amount of games.
"All the leagues - Germany, Spain, everywhere - allow five substitutions to protect the players, not to protect one team.
"Hopefully they can reconsider and do what the rest of the world does because we have to adjust to the pandemic situation."
Kick off is 12:30pm, stay with us for live updates and analysis throughout.
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