SAN FRANCISCO, October 31, (THEWILL) – Manchester City’s Kyle Walker scored against his hometown club to secure a 1-0 Premier League victory for his side over a struggling Sheffield United.
Pep Guardiola had had to endure his worst five-game start to a season after taking just eight points from a total of 15 available. On Saturday, he witnessed his team’s domestic frustrations relieved by Sheffield-born Walker’s 28th-minute strike at Bramall Lane.
In a game of hard chances, City’s Ferran Torres’ glancing header from a Joao Cancelo’s cross forced a fine early stop from Sheffield’s English keeper Aaron Ramsdale. French centre back Aymeric Laporte also steered a close-range effort just past Sheffield’s near post in the 5th minute.
Rodri’s ferocious 25-yard strike was too hot to handle especially as it swerved in its travel and Ramsdale had to parry it over the crossbar in slick conditions amid heavy rainfall in Bramall Lane.
The Blades’ keeper was having a busy day at the office keeping his team in the game. He rose to the occasion again to thwart Torres after the Spaniard slid in to connect with winger Raheem Sterling’s teasing cross.
It was Walker, a product of the Bramall Lane Academy, who forced the breakthrough. In the 28th minute, after being spotted by Kevin De Bruyne, his low, skidding shot found its way to nestle in the bottom-right corner of the Sheffield net. There was no better way for the 30-year-old English right back to mark his 100th Premier League appearance for City.
Sheffield, who had never won against City before never looked like doing that in the second half. They could have been two down but midfielder De Bruyne’s attempt flashed narrowly wide.
Ramsdale was at his sharpest again soon after, when he rose to tip Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick wide. At the other end, substitute central midfielder John Lundstram did not trouble Ederson Moraes as he fired over in a rare opening for the home side.
In the end, the scoreline was not a fair representation of City’s dominance. The visitors from the Etihad out-shot (16-4) and out-passed (709-369) their hosts with relative ease.
Although Sheffield left the game empty-handed, this was a performance of which goalie Ramsdale can be proud. But for him, they could have been thoroughly beaten. The Englishman made seven saves, in stark contrast to the solitary stop from Ederson at the other end.
City will take the consolation of this win to prepare for their next fixture where they will trade tackles against Liverpool at home on Sunday in what will be an early test of the title credentials of both sides. The Blades, on their own part, travel to Chelsea the day before.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
