Sheffield United were hugely impressive in their 3-3 draw with Manchester United at Bramall Lane on Super Sunday
Sunday 24 November 2019 22:14, UK
Graeme Souness wants a season ticket at Sheffield United after seeing their draw against Manchester United.
The Blades drew 3-3 with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side after going two up with goals from John Fleck and Lys Mousset before needing an Oli McBurnie strike to salvage a point.
Chris Wilder's team were the better side for almost all of the contest, only suffering when Manchester United scored three times in seven second-half minutes. Souness was impressed.
"I think they are a great watch," he told Sky Sports. "For 70 minutes I was really enjoying how they were playing.
"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.
"They have got great qualities, they really have."
He added: "When you come here you have to be prepared to get in a fight with them if you want to stay in the game because they come after you physically.
"There used to be a saying in the game that you have to fight for the right to play. That's no longer in the game because of the pitches and the refereeing but with this Sheffield United team, you have to fight them.
"Manchester United did not turn up for a good hour. They thought they could turn up and have a nice game against a team who were inferior to them. They got bullied and they got outplayed. Every part of the game they were playing second fiddle.
"It was only when Sheffield United tired and Manchester United scored a great goal that they got back into it. But I think it would have been very hard on Sheffield United not to get something."
Souness was particularly impressed with the two men who combined for the second goal - Fleck playing a clever pass to put Mousset through to score.
"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…"
As for Mousset, a summer signing from Bournemouth, he has already scored more goals in 10 appearances for Sheffield United than he did in 58 games for the Cherries.
"I watched him at Bournemouth and he was a different player," added Souness.
"That is down to Chris Wilder getting the best from players. I think the system suits him because Bournemouth pass it and pass it. Here, they get the ball forward to him a bit more and that suits him.
"But we would be totally doing them an injustice to say that they go back to front at every opportunity. They can play.
"When you are playing against a team that are constantly playing, you can push forward and hold a high line. As a centre-half against Sheffield United, you have to be on the half-turn because you need to be prepared to get in a race with Mousset.
"They are a really good team and will be hard to play against because they mix their game up.
"Do not take anything away from them because they have some real technicians in midfield who can get them out of tight areas and deliver cute passes.
"I want a season ticket."
Having been burned by VAR in their draw at Tottenham before the international break, Sheffield United boss Wilder could not face the agonising wait to find out whether his side had earned a last-minute point against Manchester United this time out.
"I ran down the touchline like an idiot then had someone tap me on the shoulder and tell me that it could have been overturned," he said. "I didn't take that too well so I hid in the dug out for however long it took for a the decision to be reached, and thankfully they made the right decision.
"It's a difficult one for myself and people that have been in the game as a long as I have. I have been in the game since I was 16 as a kid, now I'm 52 and the emotion of scoring a goal and potentially having that taken away is difficult to handle."
