Sheffield United debutants Ethan Ampadu, Oliver Burke, Jayden Bogle and Max Lowe give Chris Wilder 'nice problems' - verdicts on the new boys

In keeping with many managers, Wilder made widescale changes for the Turf Moor game, only keeping Burnley-born Oliver Norwood from Monday's XI, and handing out debuts to Wes Foderingham, Ethan Ampadu, Jayden Bogle, Max Lowe and Oliver Burke.

The outfield players in particular acquitted themselves well, with the two teams well matched over the 90 minutes before the Clarets won 5-4 on spot kicks.

“We've had a broken pre-season so it's not been the normal bedding these players into the system we play,” said Wilder. “They've all come from different clubs and they've all got to pick it up and run with it pretty quickly.

“I thought the outfield players did just that.

“We're picking players to fit our system and I thought they looked comfortable. The two full-backs (Bogle and Lowe) were outstanding, it was a great first goal for us – and a fabulous goal for them as well.

“Everybody gave me the nice problems we're all after. I've said before I don't want this to be an easy season for me as a manager in terms of picking that side.

“The lads who have had the opportunity to impress have certainly done that.”

Blades wing-backs George Baldock and Enda Stevens were Premier League ever-presents last season, but Bogle and Lowe – both signed from Derby County – suggested they face fiercer competition for their places this season.

Left wing-back Lowe was Sheffield United's best performer on the evening, creating the goal scored by David McGoldrick, and threatening throughout down the wing. As well as his crossing, there was good skill to make space in the penalty area after 26 minutes – but no one to deliver to, a good pass down the line to the goalscorer, and a ball to him in the second half which led to a blocked shot.

Bogle on the right was good too, showing the energy required in that position until he made way after 87 minutes.

Amapdu was used sparingly on loan at RB Leipzig, but when he did play, it was usually in the centre of the back three. With Phil Jagielka doing that job on Thursday, he was on the right-hand side – an unusual role because of the way the Blades ask their outside centre-backs to overlap.

The Welshman did not do much of that, even though he finished the game at wing-back when Bogle went off, but did show a wider range of passing than Chris Basham usually provides, and was alive to the possibilities Burke's pace provided behind the Burnley back four.

“You could see why we brought Oli in and what we wanted to do,” said Wilder. “It was a different position to where he's played at his previous clubs.

“We were delighted with the contributions of the other boys who made their debuts as well.”

Burke tended to be used on either wing in a 4-4-2 by Alaves last season.

The Blades were able to play Burke into crossing positions on a couple of occasions during his 62-minute debut but with no John Fleck or John Lundstram running from midfield and McGoldrick – somewhere between a No 10 and an out-and-out centre-forward – having players to pick out was sometimes an issue for him too.

Foderingham – signed as back-up to Aaron Ramsdale, the club's other sumer signing, who made his debut on Monday against Wolverhampton Wanderers – was fortunate Matej Vydra was flagged offside as he brought him down in the penalty area, but could not have been expected to do any more with Vydra's goal, or any of the five penalties which beat him in the shoot-out.

Adapting to the unique demands of Sheffield United's play could take time. Lys Mousset needed until October last season to get up to speed, physically as much as anything else, and it took until the turn of the year for fellow centre-forward Oli McBurnie to get into his stride. Others never really did.

The durability of Fleck and Jack O'Connell meant it was not until the restart that summer signing Ben Osborn and January addition Jack Robinson got their chances but took them well once they did.

Adding depth to the squad is a key factor this summer for Wilder, and he is impatient for them to push his regulars. There could be one more to come, with the manager acknowledging the club have made enquiries for Liverpool's Rhian Brewster and Arsenal's Florian Balogun to be the speedy striker he wants to add before the October 5 transfer deadline.

“I've not brought anybody in to be squad-fillers,” he warned before Thursday's game, and his debutants' performances seemed to back that up.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today.

Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers.

So, please - if you can - pay for our work. Just £5 per month is the starting point. If you think that which we are trying to achieve is worth more, you can pay us what you think we are worth. By doing so, you will be investing in something that is becoming increasingly rare. Independent journalism that cares less about right and left and more about right and wrong. Journalism you can trust.

Thank you,

James Mitchinson