Norwich City boss Dean Smith was impressed with one Sheffield United player in particular in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane.
Smith hailed Oliver Norwood after his performance at the weekend and described the playmaker as “one of their best players in controlling the game.” [The Star]
Norwood, who has been one of Sheffield United’s best players this season, played a significant part in the equaliser for the Blades. His accurate pinged cross was headed on by John Egan before Oli McBurnie slide-tackled the ball home to draw the Blades level in the second half.
The Canaries boss said that Norwich “had to stop [Norwood] running the game”, but ultimately they failed to do so.
At the age of 31, Norwood isn’t the most mobile of players on the pitch, and he never was in his younger days. Norwood has always been a playmaker that relied on vision and footballing IQ, rather than pace and agility.
This is something that the Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom agrees with. Heckingbottom told The Star:
“Oli, if I compare him to John Egan, they aren’t explosive players. They’re tactically very good and they’re really reliable.”
Oliver Norwood is gunning for his fourth Championship promotion this season, and if he were to help the Blades get back to the Premier League it will be his second promotion with the Blades, after securing automatic promotion back in the 18/19 campaign. Incidentally, that campaign saw United battle it out with Norwich City for the top spot for a while. Many believe that the two clubs will be jostling for the top two spots come the end of this season as well.