Premier League 2019/20: Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool - 5 Talking Points
The Premier League weekend started off with a tightly contested encounter at Bramall Lane. The Premier League leaders were pushed to their limits by a resolute Sheffield United side who will ultimately feel hard done by the end result.
Liverpool would luckily take all three points through a Georginio Wijnaldum volley in the 71st minute, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The volley only became a goal because Sheffield United keeper Dean Henderson let the ball through his legs after initially looking like he had caught it.
The win maintains Liverpool’s perfect start to the league, as they’ve won seven out of seven games thus far. The scariest part is, they’re not even playing at their best yet. As for Sheffield United, they stay 12th in the league several points clear of the relegation zone.
Here are 5 talking point from Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Sheffield United.
#5 Direct play from Chris Wilder’s men
Sheffield United have gained many plaudits this season for their style of play. For those who don’t know, the Blades are one of the few teams in world football that play with overlapping centre-backs. With a back five, United’s outer centre-backs take it in turns to overlap alongside or past the wingbacks. Against Liverpool, they showcased that same bravery. In addition, Wilder’s men added some variety to their attacking play by seeking to play long balls down the flanks.
Liverpool is synonymous with playing attacking full-backs stationed high up the pitch. Chris Wilder evidently felt that this was an aspect to be exploited. Consequently, he instructed Callum Robinson and Oliver McBurnie to run down the flanks, looking to use that space. This tactic made Liverpool think twice about committing men forward, thus reducing their potency. Today, Sheffield United proved that there’s more than one way to play the Reds.
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