Watch Sheffield United vs Arsenal live on Monday Night Football from 7pm on Sky Sports Premier League; kick-off 8pm.
Monday 21 October 2019 21:21, UK
Only once have Sheffield United beaten Arsenal in the Premier League. It came in their last meeting at Bramall Lane in December 2006. As Greg Whelan has been finding out ahead of their reunion on Monday Night Football, it was a memorable night for two unlikely heroes.
"I always fancied getting something against Arsenal with Arsene," Neil Warnock, Sheffield United's then manager, reflects with a smile. "I always used to talk about 'the southern softies' and things like that to the squad and it was one of those nights where everything was in their faces and we were really on a high. The crowd was amazing."
The Blades were back in the Premier League for the first time in 12 years and scrapping for survival when Arsenal came to Bramall Lane on a wet and windy evening a few days after Christmas in 2006.
"The whole reason that all of us wanted to get into that division was to play against these teams," says Phil Jagielka, then a young central defender in his first spell with the club. "If we wanted to pick a time of year to play Arsenal at Bramall Lane this would probably have been it. It was 11 against 11 and it was our time to try to go out there and do something special."
Now aged 35, French striker Christian Nade is still scoring goals for Annan Athletic in Scotland's League Two - his 13th club in a career spent largely north of the border.
He arrived in the UK as a 21-year-old in 2006, joining Sheffield United from Troyes. The game against Arsenal would be only his third start in the Premier League.
"I was really scared, really scared," he says. "But I knew that I had nothing to lose and that I should just go out onto the pitch and enjoy it. The manager told me: 'Christian, I don't expect you to play for 90 minutes but as soon as you've got the ball try to create something magical'.
"We weren't pulling up any trees at the time so I thought it wasn't a gamble really I thought let's give him a try," Warnock says. "He couldn't play for 90 minutes but you knew he had an explosive turn. He had pace and power."
Shortly before half-time, the Frenchman provided a perfect illustration of what he could contribute. Taking a pass from Alan Quinn, he turned Arsenal defender Kolo Toure before bearing down on goal.
Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was caught out of position in the race for the ball, allowing Nade to slip it past him for the game's only goal. It remains a proud and significant moment in his career.
"When I was young Arsenal scouted me a few times but nothing happened because they thought I wouldn't be able to finish a game," he says. "My fitness was quite low so there was no chance they would give me a contract. So when I played against them it was revenge for me."
Fifteen minutes into the second half, United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny pulled up when taking a goal kick and couldn't continue. With no substitute goalkeeper on United's bench, Jagielka went in goal.
"I never bothered with a sub goalkeeper, I thought an extra striker was more important," Warnock says. "When we used to practice Jagielka put his gloves on and he wasn't bad at all really so I thought: 'Why worry about a sub keeper?'."
For Jagielka it was nothing new. He had had prior experience in a couple of Championship games.
"I was comfortable being between the sticks," he says. "But when you're stuck between the sticks in front of 30,000 against Arsenal with a 1-0 lead to protect it was a little more nerve wracking than it was on the training ground."
Helped by a heroic rear guard action from the players in front of him, Jagielka kept a clean sheet. He had one key save to make, tipping a Robin van Persie effort over the bar.
"I'll always get the credit because I'm the one dressed in grey rather than red and white but the boys ahead of me did a fantastic job," he says. "It's a very happy memory. It would have been nice if it had been enough to keep us up that season but it didn't work out that way."
The win against Arsenal was the highlight of a season which would be dogged by controversy. West Ham's recruitment of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano had broken Premier League rules regarding the third party ownership of players. United's calls for West Ham - who were rivals in the fight to stay up - to have points deducted came to nothing.
"That will live with me for ever. When I'm sat with my fishing rod I'll still be thinking of that," Warnock admits. "If we'd stayed up and a big club like West Ham would have found out something like that I think it would have been the opposite. I think it would have been points deducted."
In the end, Sheffield United's survival bid came down to the final game of the season. A draw against Wigan at Bramall Lane would have been enough to keep them in the Premier League. With the game all square at 1-1, Jagielka handled the ball in the penalty area. From the spot, David Unsworth - who had started the season as a Blades player - sealed his former club's fate.
"The two worst days in my Sheffield United career was that day and the 2003 play-off final," Jagielka says. "It makes me want to come back here and make sure that we haven't got the same feelings at the end of this season."
Sheffield United still treasure the memories of the last time they faced Arsenal. This time they hope their season will have a happier ending.
Watch Sheffield United vs Arsenal live on Monday Night Football from 7pm on Sky Sports Premier League; kick-off 8pm.
Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.
