Swansea City vs Sheffield United. Sky Bet Championship.
Swansea.com StadiumAttendance15,946.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Swansea and Sheffield United at the Liberty Stadium
Saturday 14 August 2021 23:25, UK
Swansea City and Sheffield United shared the points from a goalless draw in the Sky Bet Championship as the Blades frustrated the hosts in Wales.
United - relegated from the Premier League last season - had to make do with rare moments of joy on the counter as Swansea dominated the ball.
But Russell Martin's men could not match their neat and tidy possession with a cutting edge as Blades goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was forced into action just once.
Swansea had only one shot on target all game and the 90 minutes reinforced the fact new head coach Martin will need a new striker if his team are going to trouble the Championship's top end.
Manchester United's Ethan Laird was in Swansea for the game ahead of joining on loan, but Ryan Bennett and Kyle Naughton were out injured.
Flynn Downes made his Swansea debut while United named an attacking side. Former Swans Rhian Brewster and Oli McBurnie started up front and on the bench respectively.
Martin applauded the crowd before kick-off in his first home game, but his goalkeeper Steven Benda was nearly embarrassed by David McGoldrick.
Swansea still started impressively as they dominated the ball. Joel Latibeaudiere had a shot blocked by Jack Robinson. McGoldrick also had a shot saved by Benda on an away counter-attack.
Billy Sharp forced Benda into action too with a header from a free-kick while, at the other end, Swansea captain Matt Grimes fired well over.
It was a first half of few chances and although Swansea had 65 per cent of possession, the two teams turned around level and the hosts had not registered a shot on target.
Jamal Lowe looked to race on to Liam Cullen's through ball for Swansea at the start of the second half but was flagged offside.
Martin wanted his side to pass the ball quicker and he was furious when Grimes was booked for a tackle on Sander Berge. Brewster, who had been quiet, fired over the bar as did Grimes again.
United introduced McBurnie and Ben Osborn in the 58th minute and the former got a good reception from his old supporters.
Lowe finally had a shot on target for the hosts when he worked Ramsdale in the United goal and was then immediately substituted for Joel Piroe.
McGoldrick raced in on goal from the angle but blazed high and wide in ugly fashion to earn ridicule from the Swansea crowd and then headed a glorious opportunity off target.
It summed up a night when a lack of top quality in front of goal cost both sides two points.
The two teams went direct late on in a desperate search for a goal, but none arrived in front of a returning Welsh crowd of 15,946.
Swansea boss Russell Martin: "I think there were a lot of positives to take. The players played the way we want and we had control. We lacked the fitness to do it for 90 minutes and didn't have as much as we would have liked in the final third, but the players are doing brilliantly. We played a top team full of Premier League experience who will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
"We are asking the players to play in a different way. It's been a disjointed pre-season and not ideal, but games help. I think we need to add people to help us whether it's at the top end of the pitch or the bottom.
"I feel for the guys who work up top. We haven't had time to work with them. We've had less than two weeks with this team and the focus at the moment is on the guys at the back and in the middle. We still had good moments tonight."
Sheffield United manager Slavisa Jokanovic: "The result can be seen as a positive. If we can't score a goal, the best thing we can do is get one point.
"Of course, we can play better than we are right now. We can be more dangerous and create more chances. I'm sure we can improve for the next game. I feel a little bit of a lack of energy in the team."
Swansea are next in action at 7.45pm on Tuesday when they host Stoke at the Liberty Stadium, while Sheffield United travel to The Hawthorns to face West Brom at 8pm the following evening, live on Sky Sports Football.
