Sheffield United supporters could be forgiven for having nightmares about Nottingham Forest man: View | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest's penalty shootout heroics will haunt Sheffield United supporters for quite some time

Sheffield United will be aiming for automatic promotion to the Premier League this season as the nightmare of the play-offs will still hang over supporters.

The Blades took two years to gain their place back in the top flight the last time they suffered the drop.

Paul Heckingbottom initially guided them to the play-offs before they came second in the table in 2023.

But the nightmare of their play-off loss to Nottingham Forest will be one that supporters won’t be forgetting in a hurry this year, as they fight for a first division return.

Chris Wilder’s side have made a positive start to the life back at this level, earning four points from their first two games.

Sheffield United will be targeting a top two finish, but face stiff competition from a number of clubs, including fellow relegated sides Burnley and Luton Town, as well as Leeds United.

Sheffield United’s play-off nightmare

Last time Sheffield United earned a play-off place, in 2022, they took on Nottingham Forest over two legs in the semi-finals.

The fixture finished level on aggregate, with the two sides going to penalties 210 minutes of action that ended 3-3.

Two goals from the Blades in the second half of their second leg at the City Ground brought the scores level, but they were unable to find a third goal to win the game 3-1 on the night, and the tie 4-3.

One major factor for their downfall was one man: Brice Samba.

The goalkeeper had been a big figure for Nottingham Forest that season, playing a crucial role in their rise up the table under Steve Cooper, who took over the side in September with the club in the relegation zone.

But his performance at the City Ground on 17 May was perhaps his most outstanding performance of all.

A late save against Morgan Gibbs-White in regular time was so important, but it was ultimately just foreshadowing for his impeccable penalties display later that evening.

Brice Samba single-handedly cost Sheffield United Premier League promotion

The penalty saves on Oli Norwood, Conor Hourihane and Gibbs-White were all incredible.

In particular, crashing Hourihane’s shot onto the crossbar by holding his nerve and staying down the middle was very impressive.

This was a penalty shootout performance to live long in the memory for Forest fans, and one that will hang in the minds of Sheffield United supporters the longer their pursuit of promotion goes on this year.

The important saves over the course of the 210 minutes of the tie were important, but nothing will stand out as strongly as three saves in a single shootout.

This is the kind of thing that can happen in the play-offs, ending a pursuit of a place in the Premier League in the most dramatic of fashions.

This moment highlights the importance of a strong start to the campaign for Sheffield United, who will be hoping to replicate their form from 12 months after Samba’s heroics.

Heckingbottom’s second bite at the cherry saw the team back in the top flight with a comfortable second place finish, where their destiny remained in their own hands throughout.