Sheffield United: Phil Jagielka reveals Blades' strategy for rest of Premier League season after Manchester United draw
Jagielka made his first Premier League appearance for the Blades since 2007 against the Red Devils, and impressed in a 3-3 draw. The Blades forged 2-0 ahead before the visitors came roaring back to lead 3-3, but Oli McBurnie’s late equaliser extended United’s unbeaten run to six Premier League games.
Jagielka now faces an anxious wait to discover if he will keep his place for Sunday’s game at Wolves. John Egan, United’s first-choice centre-half, missed last weekend’s game after picking up an injury whilst away on international duty with the Republic of Ireland.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBut the veteran defender said: “We have belief. You can look left and right, into the eyes of your teammates, and see it there too. In a strange way for us, the pressure is off because no-one from the outside expects this from us.
“It’s still the best division in the world, so there is pressure there, but it’s how you approach it; the mindset you have.
“If you sit in and wait to be beaten, game in, game out, you might nick a win or a draw but as it stands our best form of defence is the aggressive attacking play.
“At the same time, we are not leaving ourselves wide open and going gung-ho. There is an element of using your brains as well.
“At the moment we have found the right balance. Hopefully in a month or two the balance is still right.”
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.