Sheffield United can shock rival Premier League sides, insists goal hero John Lundstram

SHEFFIELD UNITED midfielder John Lundstrum believes that a number of other Premier League sides will be 'in for a shock' at Bramall Lane after the Blades started their home campaign with a sweet victory over chastened visitors Crystal Palace.
John LundstramJohn Lundstram
John Lundstram

Ahead of the game, manager Chris Wilder referenced the importance of home form in his match programme notes and spoke about Bramall Lane playing a major role in the club's top-flight campaign.

He stressed his desire for his players to make the Blades' home 'a tough and uncomfortable place for opposition players' as his side bid to 'ruffle a few feathers' back in the big time.

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Early evidence suggests that United will do just that after a performance which saw them outbattle and out-perform a tentative Palace side, whose reputation as away-day specialists was vanquished in front of a mostly ecstatic crowd of just over 30,000.

It represented United's first home win at this level since April 28, 2007 and has provided a further transfusion of confidence ahead of Saturday's encounter with visiting Leicester City.

The success also extended the Blades' fine form on home soil where they have lost just once this year at league level with just one side having come away from S2 with three points since West Brom triumphed 2-1 on December 14, 2018.

Lundstram, who took the plaudits with the only goal of the game just after the interval - as he joined the select band of players to score in all four English divisions, said: "They (Palace) came with a game plan, but found it hard and our home form is going to be massive this year.

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"Scoring when we are on top is going to be massively important and when we did, I thought we also defended well after that.

"This was the starting point of a great season at home. There are going to be some difficult days, but if the crowd are like that every week, we have got a great base to start from.

"We have got a certain way of playing and I don't think we will change that. We were on the front foot and aggressive and we can play also. I think teams will come here and get a shock."

On his all-important strike, he added: "It was a special moment with my family there and what not and my first goal in the Premier League and one I will cherish for the rest of my life."

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The win enabled United to reflect on a healthy and unbeaten start to the season which has seen four points pocketed from a possible six with Wilder's side having adapted to their rarefied surroundings in impressive fashion - while quickly proving that they belong at this level.

The Blades chief said: "Everybody talked about the occasion and I totally get that. That had to come into the talk. But we are here to try and win games of football and put some points on the board.

"From my point of view, it was not the occasion, but using the power and the enthusiasm of the supporters to play in the right way and I thought the players did that. It was a real powerful performance from us."