Selles Offers Verdict After Last-gasp Winner At Burton As He Shuts Down Rumours of Sheffield United Star Leaving | OneFootball

Sheffield United left it late but secured a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Burton Albion in their latest pre-season outing, thanks to a last-gasp winner from Kieffer Moore.

The breakthrough came after just 19 minutes though not in the way United had hoped. A lapse in concentration at the back, specifically from Gustavo Hamer of all people, gifted Jake Beesley a golden opportunity. The Burton striker made no mistake, calmly sliding the ball past an exposed Adam Davies to give the visitors an early lead.

United struggled for rhythm in the opening half-hour, with manager Ruben Selles later admitting the first 35 minutes “was not what we are.” However, after the break, his side returned with much-improved attacking intent.

The equaliser arrived just five minutes into the second half. After good work from Andre Brooks created a chance for Sydie Peck, whose effort was smartly saved by former Blade Jordan Amissah, United struck from the resulting corner. Following a brief moment of pinball in the area, Tyrese Campbell and others kept the ball alive before Ryan Oné reacted quickest, rifling into the roof of the net.

Selles rang the changes in the second half, introducing several fresh faces, but the pressure continued to mount. One of the most dangerous players on the pitch in the second period was Ehije Success Ukaki, who tortured his opposite number with his pace as he whipped in a teasing ball that deflected off Sraha and almost crept in, only for Delap to clear smartly at the near post.

As the match crept into stoppage time, Louie Marsh who was lively since his introduction, first saw a low strike turned behind. But moments later, the academy graduate turned creator. After a delightful clipped ball from Sam McCallum found Marsh near the corner of the penalty area, the forward produced a clever piece of skill to beat his marker on the byline. His low cross caused chaos, with Burton substitute goalkeeper Dudek spilling it under pressure. The ball ricocheted off Kieffer Moore and over the line sealing victory with virtually the final kick.

Ruben Selles Reacts to Dramatic Sheffield United Win at Burton

After the game, Ruben Selles spoke to SUTV. And whilst he notes the first half was not good enough, he praised the reaction of his side.

“It’s preseason, you always want to win, but some games are different than others. We didn’t start the game well at all and the performance in the first 30-35 minutes was not what we are and we all agree on that.

“The best thing from today was the reaction of the team and the way we want to do things. After those 30-35 minutes we saw the team compete, make the things we want to make, and in the end we equalised pretty quickly in the second half and got the winning goal.”

Blades Announce Louie Barry As Selles Hints More Soon to Come

(Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)

A few hours before the kick-off against Burton, Sheffield United confirmed the signing of Louie Barry on a season-long loan from Aston Villa, a player that Selles also signed on loan earlier this year when he was the Hull City manager. The Spaniard explained the reasoning for bringing in Barry.

“We need to continue building up that intensity and threat in the final third and I think Louie [Barry] has been proving he can do that. Unfortunately, he got an injury with us at Hull last season.

“We think he can come to us and be a key player in that winger position with his one-on-one situations, intensity under pressure, and finishing actions. He’s a player who can create chances and compete at this level; we expect big things from him.”

Selles hinted at additional signings in the near future with one of them potentially being Djibril Soumare, who has been heavily linked with the Blades this week.

“We are working on it, we have been active in the market and we know exactly the kind of player we want. Hopefully in the next four or five days, or less, we can announce something.

“We are looking for a player in that position, a six. The name of Djibril [Soumare] has been there and we analysed him. I think he’s a player that can suit our style.”

Selles Insists Sheffield United Man is Not Leaving

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 29: Michael Cooper of Sheffield United is congratulated by teammates after he saves a penalty kick from Patrick Roberts of Sunderland during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield United FC and Sunderland AFC at Bramall Lane on November 29, 2024 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Finally, the Blades boss quickly shut down rumours of a potential Michael Cooper exit. With the standout shot-stopper not featuring on the team sheet for two games straight, many fans began to wonder if the writing was on the wall, however, Selles has said Cooper has a minor injury and insists his absence from the team is “nothing to do with” the player being linked with a move away from Bramall Lane.

United now turn their attention to Saturday’s clash with Chesterfield, currently scheduled as their final pre-season fixture, although further friendlies are expected to be added in the coming days.