Maybe, just maybe, we have a race for automatic promotion on our hands…
Sheffield United may well still have a seven point buffer on Middlesbrough with a game in hand, but now the Blades have first hand evidence of the class of the side they’re trying to hold off.
After a horror start at Bramall Lane, Boro recovered superbly to put in their best display of Michael Carrick’s tenure so far. And when you consider the quality with which they’ve performed in recent months, that’s quite the compliment.
Boro fell behind after just five minutes but Chuba Akpom’s 17th goal of the season and a second half Cameron Archer brace secured a statement victory for Carrick’s side.
To be even considering the prospect of Boro mounting an automatic promotion push would have seemed nothing short of obscene when Carrick took charge. Indeed, at that stage the first objective was avoiding a Championship exit at one end, not escaping the league at the other.
And while it is still a big ask that would require a collapse on Sheffield United’s part and Boro continuing their current charge, Carrick’s side will now have now planted the seed of doubt. Home boss Paul Heckingbottom was certainly rattled, unable to control his emotions after Boro’s third goal and sent off by referee Andre Marriner.
Even if Boro fail in a bid to catch Sheffield United, who on earth would relish an encounter with Carrick’s side in the play-offs in their current form?
To a man, they were exceptional at Bramall Lane. And after a nightmare start, it turned into a dream night for Boro.
There was a sense of occasion at Bramall Lane in what was undoubtedly the biggest game of the season so far for both sides. But if Sheffield United were at all anxious about the threat of Boro looming behind in the Championship, it didn’t show in the early stages.
The home side burst out of the blocks in blistering fashion.
Only Millwall have scored more set-piece goals than Sheffield United this season, so Boro were well aware of the threat posed. That may well have been in Carrick’s mind when he chose to bring back Dael Fry in place of Paddy McNair. But it was Fry’s centre-half partner Darragh Lenihan who couldn’t cope with Oli McBurnie, the striker holding the defender at arm’s length and nodding in a long throw with just five minutes on the clock.
It was a shocker of a start for Boro and it almost got even worse immediately after the restart, Manchester City loanee James McAtee bursting into the box and forcing a good save out of Steffen. The Boro keeper kept his side in the game again soon after, saving well with his feet to deny Iliman Ndiaye.
Boro could so easily have buckled – and yet they rose to the challenge, wrestled back control and, from 20 minutes onwards, were as good as they’ve been under Carrick. Openings were created for Forss and Smith, both missing the target – but that’s not something Chuba Akpom has done too often this season, and the striker’s finish to draw Boro level was superb.
Forss created the chance with direct wing play before crossing for Boro’s top scorer, who dropped his shoulder and clinically found the bottom corner.
The game was living up to the hype with neither side taking a backwards step. Steffen was tested by Ndiaye and Bogle, before Akpom brought a fine save out of Foderingham and McGree slammed a shot into the side netting. The home fans, so buoyant early on, were growing tetchy as the first half drew to a close.
And that anxiety became ever more tangible as Boro enjoyed a dream start to the second half.
Cameron Archer’s finish was emphatic but the goal was all about Ryan Giles, who turned defence into attack, making a crucial interception at one end before setting off on a driving run towards the home box.
Boro had no intention of sitting back and soaking up the pressure and looked for the killer third. It came 15 minutes from time, Forss making an interception in the centre-circle before Hackney slipped in Archer to slot home his second.
It was party time in the away end. Maybe, just maybe…
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