DAILY MIRROR 26.08.2019
(^8) mirror.co.uk/sport/football
DM1ST
I DIDN’T
MIND
BEING
IN ASSOCIATION
WITH
himself. “A pass like that really
does give me as much pleasure
as a goal,” he added.
“My role is to create and
score goals so, if I am doing
either, then I’m doing my job.
“It wasn’t going to take too
long for Jamie Vardy to get off
the mark, was it?
“I know his strengths and he
knows mine and, when he’s in
that position, he doesn’t need
to be looking at me.
“I just try to put the ball in
his path – and what a finish.”
Talking of finishes, the last
word goes to Barnes and that
scorcher. “I certainly can’t
recall hitting a harder shot,”
said the Foxes’ supersub.
“From the moment it left my
foot, I knew I had caught it
sweet, and it would
take an absolutely
unbelievable save
to keep it out.
“Mind
you, next
time, I’ll
probably
have an
air shot!
“That’s bound to
happen but, when they
do fly in like that, you
just have to embrace the
moment.”
invariably backs up bold words
with his exploits on the pitch.
While the Blades continue
to impress everyone bar tough
taskmaster manager Chris
Wilder, with their insatiable
appetite for hard work,
Leicester possess individual
matchwinners who can turn a
game in an instant.
Maddison’s delivery to Vardy
cemented his reputation as
one of the Premier League’s
most creative forces. He insists
he treasures such moments as
if he’d s t r u c k t h e
matchwin-
ner
doesn’t matter who scores the
goals or gets the headlines.
“Harvey’s going to be very
good, but he’s probably
scratching his head asking
himself how he gets
into this team.
“But he didn’t
put in a bad
audition for the
gaffer. That one
said, ‘Put me in’.”
But will Maddison
be disappointed if
Southgate (left) doesn’t
select him this week?
“No comment,” was the
uncharacteristic reply of a
gifted footballer, who
crank up the volume at a
raucous Bramall Lane, Foxes’
sub Harvey Barnes had the
stage all to himself.
Barnes’ breathtaking
half-volley, which
flew past Dean
Henderson, with
the speed of a
Jofra Archer
bouncer, thrust
someone else into
the spotlight.
And this time,
Maddison didn’t mind a
bit. “It’s true, I liked being on
stage,” said the Three Lions
prospect, recalling his teenage
years. “But we’re a team and it
SHEFFIELD UNITED 1
McBurnie 62
LEICESTER 2
Vardy 38, Barnes 70,
BY IAN MURTAGH
OLI MCBURNIE wants to rediscover
that winning feeling, which has
been Sheffield United’s hallmark in
the Chris Wilder era.
No manager, bar Pep Guardiola,
has enjoyed a higher success
rate than Wilder, who has led
his hometown club from the
League One wilderness.
Defeat at home to
Leicester was only the
second in 20 games and
took the gloss off a
first goal for the club
from their
£20million record
buy.
“It was a nice
feeling to score,
but short-
lived,” said
McBurnie
(above), who
raised hopes
of a second
straight win
when he met
George Baldock’s
pinpoint cross
with a trademark
header.
“Now I’m off the mark,
I need to kick on and
score more. The boys will
not accept getting used
to losing and neither
will the gaffer.
“It’s down to us
to put it right.”
OLI: I’M
NOT WILD
ABOUT
LOSING
Ta l k i n g of finishes,
wordgoes to Barnes
scorcher. “I certain
recall hitting a hard
said the Foxes’ supers
“From the moment
foot, I knew I had c
sweet, and it
take an ab
unbelieva
to ke
y
t
p
ha
air sho
“That’sbo
happen but, wh
do fly in like th
just have to embr
moment.”
if hed struck the
matchwin-
ner
he
a
ho
EAR TO WIN IT
Jamie Vardy taunts
the Blades fans before
Barnes’ great strike
scratchin
hims
int
p
a
g
s
be
Southg
taking
ich
n
me,
mind a
Former teen actor Maddison is happy to
let matchwinner Barnes grab starring role
BY IAN MURTAGH
SELF-CONFESSED
thespian James Maddison
loves to be the centre of
attention.
Growing up, he’d tread the
boards in school plays, and
freely admits it wouldn’t feel
quite the same if he missed out
on the main role.
With Gareth Southgate in
the stands, the Leicester
forward was playing out his
latest audition to perfection.
A deliciously weighted pass,
with the outside of his right
foot, set up Jamie Vardy’s first
goal of the season.
And if his free-kicks weren’t
quite at their lethal best, this
was a script guaranteed to
impress the England coach,
who on Thursday names his
squad for the forthcoming Euro
2020 qualifiers, against Bulgaria
and Kosovo.
But with 20 minutes to go,
after Oli McBurnie had come
off the bench to equalise for a
fired-up Sheffield United and
UPSTAGED
COMING UP...
FACT ROOM...
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Tom Blackburn (h) ..... EFL Cup
Sat Chelsea (a) ..................PL
Sept 14 Southampton (h) .........PL
LEICESTER
Wed Newcastle (a) ..... EFL Cup
Sat Bournemouth (a) ........PL
Sept 14 Man Utd (a) ..................PL
THEY SAID IT...
I didn’t think we deserved
anything from the game. Out of
possession it was too comfortable
for them and in possession we
weren’t brave enough.
CHRIS WILDER
Leicester have recorded
consecutive league wins against
Sheffield United at Bramall Lane
for the first time since March 1965
under Matt Gillies.
Sheffield United are winless in their
last seven matches against
Leicester in all competitions (D2 L5),
losing each of the last four in a
row.
Jamie Vardy has scored 10 Premier
League goals in 13 appearances
since Brendan Rodgers’ first game
in charge of Leicester in March,
the first player to reach double
figures in that time.
Oli McBurnie has scored eight
headed goals in England’s top four
tiers since the start of the last
season – only Jayden Stockley (12)
and Sheffield United team-mate
Billy Sharp (nine) have netted more
goals in this manner in this time.
mirror.co.uk/sport/football
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Henderson ..................................... 6
Basham ......................................... 6
Egan ............................................... 6
O’Connell ....................................... 6
Baldock ..........................................7
Lundstram ..................................... 6
Norwood ........................................ 7
Freeman ........................................ 5
Stevens .......................................... 5
McGoldrick .................................... 5
Robinson ....................................... 6
SUBS
Sharp (Robinson 54) .......................7
McBurnie (McGoldrick 54) .............7
Morrison (Basham 78) ................... 6
LEICESTER
Schmeichel .................................... 6
Pereira ........................................... 6
Evans ............................................. 6
Soyuncu ..........................................7
Fuchs ............................................. 6
Tielemans ....................................... 6
Choudhury ..................................... 8
Praet .............................................. 5
Maddison ....................................... 8
Vardy ..............................................7
Perez ............................................. 6
SUBS
Barnes (Praet 64) ...........................7
Morgan (Perez 78) ......................... 6
Mendy(Tielemans 89) .................... 5
STATS YOUR LOT...
49% POSSESSION 51%
3 SHOTS ON TARGET 2
3 SHOTS OFF TARGET 4
1 OFFSIDES 5
7 CORNERS 4
11 FOULS 6
0 1 CARDS 0 0
JAMES MADDISON
MAN OF THE MATCH
REFEREE
Andy Madley
ATTENDANCE
30,079