Boro go top of Championship with impressive win over Sheffield United
Kim Hellberg’s men finally moved above Coventry City thanks to a 1-2 victory at Bramall Lane that left the travelling supporters overjoyed.
Being a Middlesbrough supporter has been a frustrating experience in recent years. They have languished in the Championship since 2017, having been relegated from the top flight after spending just one season there. They have come relatively close to promotion on a couple of occasions since then, most notably under Michael Carrick, but have also watched Sunderland go down to League One and still return to the Premier League before them.
Now though, the glitz and glamour of the Premier League is drawing ever closer for the Teessiders. Kim Hellberg has inspired confidence and determination in his players that has seen them surge to the top of the table.
It was apparent since Rob Edwards was in charge at the start of the season that Boro would be contenders this year, but that Coventry City would be the division’s dominant force. However, momentum for Frank Lampard’s Coventry stalled of late, and Middlesbrough under their new Head Coach have taken full advantage.
Middlesbrough’s move into top spot came as the result of a hard-fought win at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United, with the Blades managed by former Boro boss Chris Wilder. There have been more emphatic wins for the Teessiders this season, but few have been as satisfying.
The first half was very open from the off, but soon turned into a dominant display from the away side in their change colours. Tommy Conway finished off a passage of silky play to open the scoring and before the break Boro were two to the good. Captain Hayden Hackney struck the post with a shot from outside the area, with Riley McGree being on hand to head home the rebound.
There could have been more in the second half that would have made the ending to the game more comfortable, but instead, former Boro forward Patrick Bamford slid home one back for the Blades.
The pressure was on for a short while, but eased after a reckless challenge from Sheffield United debutant Joe Rothwell on Alan Browne, which left referee Gavin Ward no option but to produce a red card. Chris Wilder himself grimaced as he watched Rothwell make contact. After that, the Blades became scrappy in their attempts to score an equaliser, and Boro were able to see out the game to claim another huge three points.
These are the type of results needed if a club is to force its way out of the Championship. Sheffield United know that themselves after their own promotions in recent years, and all those inside of Bramall Lane will likely acknowledge that Boro are showing all of the right credentials this season.
The next fixture could not be more significant though. Boro head to Coventry knowing they can inflict a huge blow on their rivals at the top of the table. The Sky Blues won the reverse fixture at the Riverside earlier in the campaign, so the motivation is there for Middlesbrough to not only right that wrong, but also take a commanding position at the top.
Some will argue that there is plenty of football to come after that fixture, but psychologically, the positive impact a win for Boro would bring would be monumental, whilst in turn, being equally damaging for Coventry. That could well be the final boost that helps to return Middlesbrough to the promised land.