West Bromwich Albion eased the pressure on head coach Ryan Mason with a convincing 2-0 victory over Sheffield United at The Hawthorns on Friday night. Norwegian striker Aune Heggebo was the star of the show, continuing his remarkable scoring run and setting up Karlan Grant for a spectacular second goal.
First half frustration despite Blades' chances
The opening 45 minutes told a story of missed opportunities for the visitors. Sheffield United fashioned the better chances, with Gustavo Hamer forcing a brilliant one-handed save from Joe Wildsmith early on. Twenty-five minutes later, Patrick Bamford fired straight at the West Brom goalkeeper after Ousmane Diakhité was caught dawdling on the edge of his own box.
Chris Wilder's side controlled possession and looked threatening going forward, but their inability to convert pressure into goals would prove costly. Heggebo did manage one effort just before the break, lashing a shot over the bar as the teams went in level at half-time.
Second-half transformation
The match burst into life less than five minutes after the restart. Heggebo sent the ball wide to George Campbell, timed his run to perfection, and finished first-time from just outside the six-yard box with considerable style. It was his seventh goal in seven games, a remarkable run of form that has transformed West Brom's season.
The Baggies built on their momentum, and just after the hour mark, they extended their lead in stunning fashion. Heggebo teed up Grant, who appeared to trip Mark McGuinness as he shaped to shoot. Despite the controversy, the goal stood, and Grant's thunderbolt arrowed in off the underside of the crossbar.
Former professionals Curtis Davis and Michael Brown both suggested the goal should have been disallowed for the foul, with Davis noting that had the roles been reversed, a penalty or free-kick would likely have been given.
Wilder's fury at second-half collapse
Chris Wilder was scathing in his assessment of Sheffield United's second-half performance. Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, he accused his players of being "arrogant" in their approach.
"We took shortcuts. It's as disappointing a 45-49 minutes as I've had in a long, long time," Wilder fumed. "I thought we were miles off of it. We looked quite arrogant in our approach, thought the game would just come to us."
Between the 42nd and 79th minutes, the Blades failed to manage a single shot on target. Their six-game unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt, and they remain 17th in the Championship table.
Championship title race heats up
The result has implications further up the table. Coventry City remain top of the Championship with a five-point cushion, though their lead was reduced from ten points just a week ago following two indifferent results. Frank Lampard's side continue to set the pace in what is shaping up to be a fascinating promotion race.
Sheffield Wednesday's 12-point deduction for entering administration has thrown another variable into the mix, while Southampton and Leicester City are among the former Premier League clubs pushing for an immediate return to the top flight.
Heggebo emerges as January transfer target
Heggebo's form has inevitably attracted attention from clubs higher up the football pyramid. The 24-year-old's statistics this season are remarkable: seven goals in seven games, the most shot touches in the box for his side, two chances created per match, and a 100% tackle success rate.
West Brom have now lost just four of their last 29 home league matches (W14, D11) and are unbeaten in seven at The Hawthorns since a 1-0 defeat to Derby County in September.
What's next
West Brom will look to build on this result as they push for a playoff place, while Sheffield United must regroup quickly to avoid slipping further down the table. The Blades' next challenge comes against a Coventry side looking to reassert their dominance at the top of the Championship.
