Sheffield United

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Sheffield United's 20-year-old midfielder Oliver Arblaster has signed a new long-term contract with the club.

Speaking to the club's official website, external manager Chris Wilder said: "I had two or three Championship clubs come in for him to take him on loan, but we want him around us, we want him to be involved in the changing room.

"He's an outstanding young player, we did have a little bit of a setback with his injury at Port Vale, but he's worked hard to get himself back.

"There's no downside to having players of, not only with that attitude but that ability, coming through and we are delighted that we have. With our academy, we need to make sure the pathway is there, and we are strong in that area. We must keep producing young players and give them the opportunity to play."

Arblaster, born and bred in Sheffield, said: "I am buzzing to finally sign a long-term deal with my boyhood club. I can't wait to kick on.

"I have seen he (the manager) has put his trust in the likes of Will (Osula) and Brooksy (Andre Brooks). They have signed long-term deals, and I am hoping I can repay his faith in me and go out and also perform on the pitch for him.

"I have been here 12 years; it feels like an age! I have signed a new long-term deal now and I feel like all the hard work I've put in to get to this point is really rewarding, but now I need to kick on and try and establish myself in the first team."

Ben Meakin
Fan writer

It's been an incredibly bemusing season to be a Sheffield United fan – although some supporters may choose a somewhat harsher word.

Witnessing the team concede five at Bramall Lane for the third home game running should probably be enough to have a fanbase up in arms but, instead, the now familiar sight of the ground emptying out with 20 minutes still to play just emphasises the feeling of apathy around the club.

Part of it comes down to having played all our cards - we've changed manager, tried different formations, had the January transfer window and even promoted some youth players into the team. There are no more moves to make – just 13 more games to try to get through and not be humiliated on quite so regular a basis.

On a bigger scale, what's the goal for next season? Ordinarily, a relegated side would hope to bounce straight back up – and, of course, I hope for a successful and enjoyable season. However, under the current owner and off-field infrastructure, we'd only find ourselves back in the same hopelessly outmatched situation.

This has to have been the first season in my time supporting United where I've found myself having an existential crisis during the games. The only thing I'm clinging to is that at least back in the Championship we're unlikely to see quite so many matches be over as a contest after 20 minutes.

Ben Meakin can be found at BladesPod, external

We asked you for your thoughts on Sunday's Premier League match between Sheffield United and Brighton & Hove Albion. Here are some of your comments...

Blades fans

Stuart: The sending-off killed us, but it’s awful seeing the negative set up every week. Playing 5-4-1 makes no sense - the wide midfielders and wing-backs occupy the same space. No possession, no creativity, no desire, poor defending - battered. Rinse and repeat.

Richard: Holgate should be ashamed of himself. Absolute disgrace how he let the team down.

Nihal: Dreadful in every respect. Who takes off their only striker for another centre-back when you’re already 2-0 down?

Brighton fans

Paul: Brighton, win or lose, are exciting to watch and go from strength to strength. Coming back from a recent 4-0 drubbing, our reaction against Sheffield United was clinically efficient. Superb - and I strongly believe we can still make sixth place... at least.

Nicolas: That’s the Brighton from last season - ruthless on the attack. I think it mostly comes down to the attacking threat that Mitoma and Adingra bring, but everyone was superb.

Martin: A strong performance, especially as Brighton have not gained many points against teams near the bottom of the league. We became a little complacent after going two up but the second half was outstanding and Brighton could have scored more!

Image source, PA Media

Bottom club Sheffield United, who lost 5-0 at home to Brighton on Sunday, could be on course to set some unwanted Premier League records by the end of the campaign.

• The Blades have conceded at least five goals in five separate Premier League fixtures this season. This has only occurred twice before in Premier League history; Swindon Town (1993-94) and Derby County (2007-08) both let in five goals or more in six different league games in the same season, and both were relegated.

• United have conceded 65 goals in their first 25 games, the most by any club at this stage of a Premier League season. At their current rate, they will have let in 99 goals by the season's conclusion, one short of Swindon's record tally of 100 in 1993-94 - although this was in a 42-game campaign. Derby's 2007-08 team hold the record for the most goals conceded in a 38-game Premier League season (89).

• One record that has already been avoided is Derby's record low points total of 11 in 2007-08, but the Blades and Burnley - who also have 13 points from 25 games - are in danger of being added to the list of six teams that have registered less than 20 points in a Premier League season. As well as the Rams, Sunderland (twice), Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Huddersfield have all previously failed to reach that mark in a Premier League season.

Data compiled by Tom White, PA Sport data journalist

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Mason Holgate's suspension only adds to the woes Chris Wilder is having to deal with at the moment, as the Sheffield United boss revealed a late injury to Camerson Archer scuppered his plans going into the 5-0 defeat to Brighton.

Talking to Blades Heaven: A Sheffield United Podcast, Wilder said after Sunday's loss: "It's tough for everyone involved, it's tough to be a Sheffield United supporter at the moment."

The Blades boss says Archer as he was "in the team ready to go" but pulled up with a "really tight calf" late on in training.

"McBurnie can only do five to 10 minutes for us, he's one we're easing back in, hopefully this week we can get more work into him and get him closer to playing more of a part," Wilder said of his striker options, with no timescale put on Archer's return.

Wilder also says Max Lowe is "out for the season" having "done all his ankle ligaments", an injury which will require surgery.

Listen to Blades Heaven: A Sheffield United Podcast here

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Former Premier League striker Alan Shearer believes centre-back Mason Holgate's straight red card "cost them massively" as Brighton went on to hit five goals past the Blades at Bramall Lane.

"It was a terrible challenge. It was going to be a very difficult day anyway for Sheffield United - Mason Holgate made it into an impossible day for Sheffield United," ex-Newcastle United captain Shearer told Match of the Day 2.

"If you're a team-mate of his, you're going in there at half-time and you're going mad at him because he's cost them massively. He's made the players have to work perhaps a lot harder than they should have at times. But it's an awful challenge, a terrible challenge. There's no doubt about it that it deserved a red card."

Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman added: "We can't understand how he [Kaoru Mitoma] managed to play on in the game. I'm not sure that I've seen a worse tackle, certainly this season, and I'm trying to search my mind for a worse tackle than that.

"I don't know if he's seen red. I don't think anything aggressive happened in the game. I don't know why he felt the need to make that tackle - it wasn't in a dangerous position on the field. He's certainly put his opponent's career in danger with that tackle."

Catch up on Match of the Day 2 on BBC iPlayer here

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Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha and ex-West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker said Mason Holgate's tackle on Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma was "outrageous" and "so dangerous".

The Sheffield United defender caught Mitoma just below the knee in the 12th minute and was dismissed when his yellow card was upgraded following a video assistant referee review.

"I don't know Mason Holgate and I don't know his intent or what he was thinking because that challenge for me was a disgrace," said Onuoha on the Football Daily podcast.

"When your foot is landing above someone's knee, what are you doing? That is so dangerous.

"I've heard he apologised to Mitoma after the game, but you don't get yourself sent off for something that you don't need to do.

"To lunge into someone after 12 minutes played is outrageous and I'd be fuming if I was his team-mates because then the other 10 players have to suffer."

Reo-Coker added: "I think he's lucky it's only a three-game ban because you look at the challenge and what was his intent? Was he even thinking?"

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

Mark Chapman introduces highlights and analysis from Sunday's two Premier League matches.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries in full on BBC Sounds:

Sheffield United v Brighton

Luton v Man Utd

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder said Mason Holgate "has to take responsibility" after the Blades defender's sending off pre-empted his side's thrashing by Brighton.

Sunday's match at Bramall Lane swung in the 12th minute when Holgate caught Kaoru Mitoma in midfield with a horrific challenge just below the knee.

The Everton loanee was shown a yellow card, but it was upgraded to a red after intervention from the video assistant referee (VAR).

Against 10 men, Brighton were able to attack at will.

"It was a mistimed tackle and the correct decision was made," Wilder said of Holgate's challenge on BBC Match of the Day.

"Mason has to take the responsibility that his decision has hurt us and the gameplan goes out of the window after that."

After winning 3-1 away at Luton last week the visitors needed just a point to move off the foot of the Premier League table.

Instead, they conceded five goals at home for the third consecutive match and remain rooted to the bottom.

They travel to Wolves for their next league match on 25 February.

Chris Wilder on Mason Holgate's red card in Sheffield United's loss against Brighton: "Well, maybe as a player that played for quite a long time, you would think that's an OK challenge - a strong and competitive challenge.

"But I think we all have to admit, me included, the game has moved on.

"It was a mistimed tackle and the correct decision was made.

"Mason has to take the responsibility that his decision has hurt us and the gameplan goes out of the window after that.

"As Sheffield United, you have to get the gameplan spot on against Brighton - you have to get it spot on against Brighton if you're Manchester City, Liverpool or Spurs - because of what they can do against you in terms of opening you up.

"It's difficult when things like that - which, of course, was self inflicted - go against you."

• Sheffield United have conceded 65 goals in the Premier League this season, the most ever by a side in their first 25 matches of a campaign. In fact, it’s the most shipped by any side in their first 25 games of an English top-flight season since Ipswich Town in 1963-64 (70).

• This was Brighton and Hove Albion’s biggest ever margin of victory in an away top-flight match, and biggest on the road in any league outing since February 2000, when they won 7-1 at Chester City in the fourth tier.

• Brighton have had 12 Premier League goals scored by teenagers this season (excl. own goals), the most by a side in a campaign since West Brom in 2012-13 (14).

• Sheffield United have netted more own goals than any other side in the Premier League this season (4), while it’s also the most they’ve put through their own net in a campaign.

• Pascal Groß provided his ninth assist of the season in the Premier League, now the outright most by a Brighton player in a campaign. He created eight chances in this match, the second-most ever by a Brighton player in a Premier League game, behind his own tally of 10 v Watford in February 2019.

• Since the start of 2021-22, no player has been given more red cards in the Premier League than Sheffield United’s Mason Holgate (3). In the 13th minute, his was the earliest straight red card given to a player in a game since Nathaniel Chalobah for Fulham v Newcastle in October 2022 (8th min).

Brighton thrashed 10-man Sheffield United, who stayed bottom of the Premier League and conceded five goals at home for the third consecutive game.

The game swung in the 12th minute when United's Mason Holgate caught Kaoru Mitoma in midfield with a horrific challenge just below the knee.

The Everton loanee was shown a yellow card but the decision was upgraded to a red after intervention from the video assistant referee (VAR).

Against 10 men, Brighton attacked at will, taking the lead through Facundo Buonanotte, who bundled in a corner.

Danny Welbeck doubled the advantage, firing in a rebound after keeper Wes Foderingham denied Mitoma.

The hosts thought they had pulled a goal back just before the break through Ben Osborn, but his hooked volley has ruled out for offside.

Brighton got a deserved third midway through the second half when United defender Jack Robinson diverted Mitoma's cross into his own net.

Simon Adingra added two late goals, burying Pascal Gross' cutback and benefiting from a looping deflection.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from home?

Blades fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Brighton fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

There are two games being played in the Premier League on Sunday and we will bring you every moment.

Follow all of the action and reaction here

All times are GMT

BBC pundit Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on rapper Songer, who is a Chelsea fan.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

Sheffield United showed they have still got a bit of fight left in them with their win over Luton, but they really need to follow that up by beating Brighton too.

The Blades will not lack any effort but I just feel like the Seagulls will have too much quality for them, like they did when they beat them 5-2 at Bramall Lane in the FA Cup a few weeks ago.

Beating the Hatters gave Chris Wilder's side a tiny glimmer of hope of avoiding the drop but, after this result, I'm expecting them to feel as flat as a leftover pancake from Shrove Tuesday.

Songer's prediction: 1-1

Brighton do not seem to be quite the same team they were last season. I can see Sheffield United getting something here.

Read all of Sutton's predictions for this weekend's games

Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist

Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League match at home to Brighton.

Here are the key lines from the Sheffield United manager's news conference:

• On trying to secure back-to-back Premier League wins: "It's difficult to get a point in the Premier League, difficult to get three points in the Premier League, difficult to beat a really talented side with an exceptional manager in the Premier League and we're going to have to do a lot of things right when it comes to getting what we want out of the game at the final whistle.

• Wilder hopes to build some momentum after last week's win at Luton, stating: "We're after a win and if we get it that would be incredible and if we get a result then I'm sure we can use that again like we have done in the Luton game."

• On facing Brighton: "The knowledge of the crowd is incredibly important on Sunday because I could set my team up just to go and get after Brighton. I could say we're going to go full press, man-for-man, stop them playing out from the back, we're going to get after them and stand on the halfway line - and I know what's going to happen. The way Brighton play, the way they move the ball, the way they want the game to be - they want that game. You have to make sure you get your plan right and you are patient. That doesn't mean you are passive."

• Wilder says he wants his side to be "competitive and aggressive", with a dose of realism, adding: "Hopefully the supporters will see that and understand it. We all want to see what Jurgen Klopp calls 'heavy metal football'. We all aspire to that. I'd love my team to go out and play like that, but they've built that team over an enormous amount of years and have been super-successful under Jurgen and the players they bring in and how they develop it. But we have to be realistic. We're in the Premier League. It's not me being defeatist, it's not being negative. We understood what can happen when we lost our shape against Villa."

• On injuries, Wilder said he was waiting for "another opinion" on Rhys Norrington-Davies but doesn't expect him to be back "for the next couple of weeks".

• On Mason Holgate: "He's finding his feet. Vocally he was excellent. He has played in teams that have struggled in the past, a couple of times at Everton. He's a local boy who gets his hands dirty. He's fitted into the group really well."

Former Sheffield United striker Carl Asaba says the atmosphere at Bramall Lane "will be key" against Saturday.

He is hopeful the Blades can build on their win at Luton with the visit of Brighton.

"We had the focus on the boys' character for the Luton match after a defeat (to Aston Villa)," he told the Blades Heaven podcast. "Now you've got the completely opposite because we're playing Brighton who, we all know, are a really great team.

"The way they run the club is brilliant, the player recruitment is brilliant and the way the manager sets them up is brilliant. But, it doesn't set the mind alight, you're not rushing to Bramall Lane to see Brighton. It just doesn't have that effect like Liverpool does or Man Utd does. But, arguably they're as good a team.

"The boys' mentality has got to be 'we can't drop our performance or mentality, work rate or desire'. It's the same in the stands. I always go on about the importance of the fans - on Saturday they were incredible.

"You replicate that form and your work rate, tackling and hunger - those fans are there and we need them again. We need a hostile atmosphere."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds, external

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Saturday's win at Luton was readily welcomed by Sheffield United fans.

A first away win, a disciplined and clinical performance and maybe a little renewed hope. It is also the first time United have scored three goals away from home in the top flight since March 1993.

If nothing else, it shows the Blades can win games at this level and produce some competitive moments for their fans. There is nothing worse than a season just petering out and there was a danger of that happening if they lost to Luton.

As it is, they are seven points from safety with games against Brighton and Wolves to come. They are difficult, of course, but one or two may just have pondered this week what the table might look like if they can take four or even six points from the next two games.

Meanwhile, Vini Souza has been a hotly debated player in his debut season so it was good to see him get a goal. Our BBC Radio Sheffield summariser Carl Asaba was genuinely excited to see him playing as well as he did and hopefully he can go on from here.

Chris Wilder spoke about engaging the fans after a torrid previous game against Aston Villa. That feels like job done, so let's see if the Blades can avenge their FA Cup defeat against the Seagulls.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Blades striker Carl Asaba says Sheffield United's players must shut out any external noise and believe they can survive in the Premier League this season.

United are currently bottom and seven points from safety but recorded their first away win of the season at Luton last weekend.

"For me, if I was one of the players now I wouldn't listen to anyone saying we're gone," he told BBC Radio Sheffield's Blades Heaven podcast.

"If you focus on the outside too much, you're not focusing on your job in hand. You can't control the media, the forums, all you can control is your own performance and you have to give your all to be the best you can be on the pitch.

"I don't think they're gone. I'm one of the people who looks at our team, looks at the performances and thinks if we can knit them together, we are technically as good as most teams. We have the energy of most teams, we have the desire.

"It's making these attributes show up every day - not two of them. In this division you have to have everything. In the Championship you can have the ability and the hunger and sometimes get away without having the work rate.

"This is the top division in Europe, you have to have every attribute on point.

"If they can focus and knit it together of course they can beat Brighton. Brighton will be tough but if we play a perfect game and have a hostile atmosphere we can beat them."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Here are the key facts and figures before Sunday's game between Sheffield United and Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their last seven league games against Brighton (W4 D3), since a 2-1 home defeat in the Championship in January 2005.

• Brighton are winless in all five of their Premier League meetings with Sheffield United (D3 L2) – they’ve only faced Fulham (7) more often without ever winning in the competition.

• Sheffield United have conceded more home Premier League goals than any other side (31 in 12 games). In Premier League history, only West Brom in 2020-21 have shipped more goals in their first 12 home matches in a season (32).

• Brighton are winless in their last six away Premier League matches (D2 L4), their longest winless run on the road since a seven game run under Graham Potter between September and December 2021.

• At Bramall Lane in the Premier League this season, Sheffield United have faced 206 shots (17.2 per game) and 88 shots on target (7.3 per game) in just 12 matches. Since 2003-04, the only side to face more shots per game at home in a season is Wolves in 2011-12 (17.5), while the Blades’ on target faced per game number is the highest at home of any side in that time.

• Brighton and Hove Albion have only won one of their last six Premier League games against sides starting the day in the drop zone (D2 L3), conceding 15 goals across these matches.

• In their 3-1 win over Luton, Sheffield United went two goals ahead in a Premier League game for the first time since July 2020 against Chelsea (won 3-0), ending a run of 64 games without doing so, while it was only the fourth game this season they hadn’t trailed during the match.

• Oliver McBurnie has scored in each of his last four Premier League appearances at Bramall Lane but hasn’t ended on the winning side in any (D1 L3). He’s only the second player in Premier League history to score in four home appearances in a row without winning any, along with Carlton Cole between August and October 2009 for West Ham.