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It’s a results business, and based on that alone, Sheffield United can comfortably say they are the best team in Sheffield this season, after securing a league double over their city rivals.
Chris Wilder effectively ended Wednesday’s season by masterminding a narrow, but professional 1-0 win over Danny Rohl’s side at Hillsborough on Sunday afternoon.
Sheffield United are now level on points with Leeds United at the top of the Championship table again, and have bragging rights in the bank, too.
But, as with any Steel City derby, there were plenty of stories within stories from the big day. And one of the narratives emerging from the game just goes to prove that you should always be careful what you say about a rival player.
What did Barry Bannan say about Rhian Brewster?
Back in 2023, both Sheffield clubs achieved promotions, with United heading back to the Premier League, and Sheffield Wednesday finally returning to the Championship.
Celebrating their promotion, Sheffield United players entertained their fans with a parade, and striker Rhian Brewster took the opportunity to ask the Blades what they thought of Wednesday. You can imagine the response.
In retaliation, Owls skipper Barry Bannan was handed a microphone at a Sheffield Wednesday celebration, and hit back at Brewster, saying: “Rhian Brewster, you’re absolutely f—— honking son.”
Unfortunately, football has a habit of turning these seemingly innocuous moments into incredible twists of fate further down the line.
On a day when Bannan was almost anonymous for Wednesday, it was Brewster who stepped into the starting line up for United and bagged the winning goal.
Suffice to say, Bannan will be eating some humble pie today.
How Rhian Brewster fought the odds to be the match-winner at Hillsborough
Years ago, Brewster was the hottest emerging talent after coming through the ranks at Chelsea and Liverpool. His great promise was never quite fulfilled there, though, but he managed to earn a big-money move to Sheffield United in 2020.
It is believed the Blades paid a whopping £23.5m for the striker, despite him having very little Premier League pedigree.
Poor form, a severe lack of goals — including zero in that first season for the Blades — and several injuries later, and Brewster was looking like another one of football’s forgotten prodigies.
| Season | Apps | Starts | Mins | 90s | Goals | Assists | xG |
| 2020-2021 | 30 | 14 | 1,300 | 14.4 | 0 | 0 | 1.8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 16 | 11 | 962 | 10.7 | 4 | 0 | 3.2 |
| 2022-2023 | 17 | 6 | 660 | 7.3 | 1 | 1 | 2.9 |
| 2023-2024 | 14 | 3 | 365 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 |
| 2024-2025 | 32 | 14 | 1,389 | 15.4 | 3 | 3 | 3.4 |
But, the 24-year-old has fought his way back under Wilder this season, and with 32 appearances to his name in 2024/25 — his most in a single campaign — there’s hope his injury woes are behind him now.
Brewster was the toast of the town for United on Sunday, and he now has three goals and three assists to his name. Not exactly prolific, by any means, but it’s his best return in a United shirt already.
With the confidence he will be feeling after that derby-winner, who’s to say that Brewster won’t finally kick on from here and make good on that potential he showed all those years ago?