Ian Holloway makes Sheffield United and Slavisa Jokanovic claim following Stoke City turnaround | OneFootball

EFL on Quest pundit Ian Holloway has suggested that Sheffield United’s comeback win against Stoke City shows that they are in with a chance of challenging this season.

The Blades went into the game under pressure to get back to winning ways after they suffered back-to-back against Middlesbrough and AFC Bournemouth before the international break.

Slavisa Jokanovic’s side had controlled the game for large periods against Stoke, but they did find themselves 1-0 down after a fine finish from Jacob Brown. That saw Sheffield United in a position where they were staring at three successive defeats in the league.

However, Jokanovic’s decision to bring on both David McGoldrick and Lys Mousset to turn the game around proved to be a masterstroke.

Both players were heavily involved in turning the contest on its head and helping the Blades secure the three points.

Speaking on EFL on Quest, Holloway hailed the Blades’ football for their winning goal and suggested that their performance against Stoke showed signs that they are ready to challenge. While he also insisted that Jokanovic is the right man for the job.

He said: “This is sublime, McGoldrick to Sharp, Sharp back to McGoldrick and that’s three one touch passes and then Mousset finishes that one and that’s against a really good Stoke side. Fantastic.

“To do that to Stoke City at the moment that’s waving a flag we’re in with a shout. He’s (Jokanovic) the right man for the job.”

The verdict

It has not been the most comfortable of starts to life in charge of Sheffield United for Jokanovic, but his role in turning the game around against Stoke shows that he is really now growing into the task at Bramall Lane.

Jokanovic’s sides down the years have often not started the season in a free-flowing fashion. They have though always tended to come good during the second half of the campaign and put together really strong runs of form at the business end of things.

That seems to be the potential situation that we could see from the Blades this term and Holloway is right that they are now showing signs of being a side that can be capable of finishing inside the top six in the Championship.

You would also have to agree that it is now looking like Jokanovic could well be the man to lead them forwards now after he has recovered from a difficult start.