Sheffield United 0-8 Newcastle: Paul Heckingbottom ‘100 per cent’ confident of staying on at Bramall Lane

By James On Sep 24, 2023

Sheffield United have no immediate plans to sack Paul Heckingbottom after the club suffered their heaviest league defeat when they were beaten 8-0 by Newcastle.

The Blades were put to the sword by a rampant Newcastle and went six games without a win on their return to the Premier League, but Heckingbottom’s job is currently safe.

There is speculation that former boss Chris Wilder is being linked with a return to Bramall Lane, but even this embarrassing defeat will not change the board’s position.

Asked if he will be the manager for the next game, Heckingbottom said: “Yes, 100 per cent.

“Looks like this might be a theme now. I can’t answer that, the game, the players, my department, yes, no problem, but you’re asking those kinds of things to the wrong man.”

Heckingbottom, who guided the club to promotion last season, has had a difficult few days following the death of women’s player Maddy Cusack earlier this week.

The midfielder, who also worked for the club’s marketing department, was only 27 and the club was left “devastated”.

And the boss admits he will be happy to see the horrible week back.

There were moving pre-match tributes to Cusack and Heckingbottom said: “It affected a lot of people, there were tears on the pitch before the match.

“But we were determined to end a very tough week on a strong note and we failed to do that. It has been a tough week for everyone at the club and we want to put it past.”

Howe: I never doubted us in the final third

The Magpies rewrote the history books, recording their biggest away win and also becoming the first Premier League team to have eight different players score in a match.

Eddie Howe’s side, who have had a difficult start to the season, now look to be on a roll and have performed well in their midweek Champions League trip to AC Milan.

They didn’t take their foot off the accelerator in the second half and scored the goals and that was the nicest thing for the boss.

Howe said: “It’s been a great week for us. That’s football for you.

“Before the Brentford game we knew how important that game was, a huge point in the week and great to see us back at our best today.

“I never doubted us in the final third, we have some excellent players and we have had a very difficult start to the season in terms of games, but today we were ruthless and kept trying to score which is the most important thing.

“We respect Sheffield United and Paul Heckingbottom and the work he has done here, but we just had to do our thing and keep pushing and try to score goals.

“We weren’t aware of anything during the game regarding the records, we just tried to keep pushing the boys to keep scoring goals, with the mentality and desire that we want in every game.

“We want to attack well, we want to entertain and have good value when people come to see us play. One of our fundamental beliefs is that we always want to score.

“With top quality players, results like this can happen, but very rarely, so we will enjoy it tonight.

“You hope that this sparks something in us and we try not to repeat the score, but the performance on a regular basis. That is our aim, but the Premier League is very difficult.”

Biggest wins in the Premier League

Manchester United 9 Ipswich 0, March 1995

Andrew Cole led the way with five goals, while Mark Hughes (two), Paul Ince and Roy Keane also scored for United against an Ipswich team who finished bottom at the end of the season.

Southampton 0 Leicester October 9, 2019

After Leicester took an early lead through Ben Chilwell and Southampton had Ryan Bertrand sent off moments later, the Foxes scored four more goals in the first half through Youri Tielemans, Ayoze Perez (two) and Jamie Vardy. Perez and Vardy then each completed their hat-trick after the break, the latter scoring the third from a penalty and there was also a goal for James Maddison.

Manchester United 9 Southampton 0, February 2021

The following season the Saints were again hit nine times, after another man was sent off early. After Alexandre Jankewitz’s dismissal in the second minute, United scored through Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Marcus Rashford, an own goal from Jan Bednarek, who was also shown a late red card, Edinson Cavani, an Anthony Martial brace, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes’ penalty and Dan James.

Liverpool 9 Bournemouth 0, August 2022

What Scott Parker’s last game as Bournemouth manager proved was that Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino scored two goals each. Harvey Elliott, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Fabio Carvalho were also on the scoresheet, while Chris Mepham scored an own goal.

Tottenham 9 Wigan 1, November 2009

Striker Jermain Defoe scored five times and Aaron Lennon, Peter Crouch, David Bentley and Niko Kranjcar also found the target, with Paul Scharner replying.

Heckingbottom gets a chance at redemption

Sheffield United have no immediate plans to sack their manager, but Heckingbottom watched wide-eyed and white as a sheet as his side lost 8-0 at home to Newcastle. Notably, towards the end it was his assistant Stuart McCall who had stepped forward to bark at his dejected players.

A lady with a red and white scarf wrapped around her shoulders was spotted reading the book she brought to Bramall Lane. It was a good thing she had remembered to pack it. The clock showed there were 15 minutes of normal time left, and few could blame her.

Never before in the club’s history has Sheffield United conceded eight goals on its own field. It hadn’t been this bad since 1956, when Rotherham scored seven, and then Alexander Isak made it worse.

Jamie Redknapp said: “I have so much sympathy for the manager. He has to be on the sidelines and give everything. That’s a dark place for any manager. He will be so low now.”

“You can never lose a game 8-0. They have been in every game of this Premier League season. There has been a lack of quality, but at times there has also been a lack of effort, which is quite devastating. It can be done. ” do not do that.”

Jamie Carragher branded the defending “horrendous” on a “devastating evening” for the club. Somehow, they must find the steel this city is known for in order to remove themselves from the canvas.

Gordon helps Newcastle get back to its old self

This had the hallmarks of a difficult afternoon for Newcastle after a trip to Milan, but what followed was extraordinary. It was a performance that had it all, from Anthony Gordon’s reaction, from being appointed as a substitute, to goals from defense through to attack. Eight goals from eight different scorers.

Carragher said: “It’s been a really big week for Newcastle. It feels like they are back to their old selves and definitely the ones we saw a lot of last season.

“You look at the result, but the most important thing is that psychologically you win the game so comfortably and emphatically after your first Champions League trip away from home. That’s big for Newcastle.”

There was no doubt that this match was in the balance before Harvey Barnes was replaced by Gordon after just twelve minutes. It wasn’t that Barnes had been ineffective, but that the hosts had made a confident start.

Gordon immediately injected urgency into Howe’s side, was involved in Sean Longstaff’s opener and deservedly added to the score around the hour mark. His overall performance underlined the impression that this is a player who has now established himself at St James’ Park and is benefiting from Howe’s coaching.

What’s next?

Sheffield United visit West Ham in the Premier League next Saturday at 3pm.

Newcastle host Manchester City in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, live on Air sports, starting at 8 p.m. The Magpies are back in Premier League action next Saturday at 3pm at home to Burnley.