Sheffield United v Barnsley: Manager reaction as Blades go back into play-offs with derby-day win
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Goals from Sander Berge and Morgan Gibbs-White sealed a 2-0 victory, although Billy Sharp did limp off in the second half to give United another injury concern ahead of the international break.
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PH continued
12.30 kick-offs can be strange, stadiums can be flat and we looked like a side that played on Wednesday night. We needed to inject an aggressive mentality and make the game we wanted it to be. A good quick free-kick, delighted Sander got his goal and we didn’t look back from then.
PH on the game ...
“I’m delighted in the end.
“It’s been a long slog for a long period of time and with the effort the lads have put in, and the things niggling at me, like teams cancelling on us and the injuries, I think it’s right we sign off with victory.
“The players need a lot of credit. We’ve had players putting themselves forward to be on the bench when not fit. Playing out of position, playing every week.
“There’s always been a big moment, be it a goal from Bill or a bit of magic from Morgan or a big save from Wes. It’s fitting we sign off with a win and get ready for the last six games.”
Paul Heckingbottom on Billy Sharp’s injury ...
“It’s his hamstring. He has felt something. Me sitting here now, I am anxious and I am worried about it. The positive for me is Billy knows his body. He knows not to carry on when he feels something muscular. There will be a scan later in the week and we’ll take it from there.”
PA: We weren’t happy to draw here
We were playing at a level that meant we weren’t happy to draw here, and we said that at half-time. We were playing well enough to win. And sometimes you can only see the win and when you concede the goal you don’t know how to react. Conceding the goal shouldn’t have stopped us playing well. That was the part we didn’t achieve.
PA continued
With the help of the home crowd their players gained confidence and ours lost confidence. That changed the game to a game we didn’t want, of course.
Poya Asbaghi’s reaction
Until the goal we played good, in the first half we were the better team if you ask me. We created chances and were the same team in the second half, still pushing them down. But it wasn’t until the free-kick and they took the lead, which isn’t good enough for us, that things changed.
FULL TIME
and the Blades are up to fourth after a 2-0 win over Barnsley - it wasn’t pretty at times but it was effective as United keep another clean sheet and the only real worry now is over Sharp’s fitness after he went off. We’ll hear from Paul Heckingbottom on that in his press conference and bring you what he said as soon as we can
Morris gets up highest
to meet a cross from the Barnsley right and it flicks the bar, I think, on its way over - he’s been a danger all game
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