FOOTBALL FANS throughout the UK were treated to the return of the highly anticipated Premier League today, with the usual string of controversies and technological blunders proving that despite a change in procedures; old habits die hard.
The opening game of the restart saw Sheffield United take on an Aston Villa side that desperately needed to hit the ground running if they were to use their game advantage to move out of the relegation zone. However, in the midst of coronavirus, artificial crowd noises and player’s taking a knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, the controversies which have marred the previous months of the Premier League season once again stole the limelight.
Many felt that the officials in Stockley Park were as good as furloughed when they failed to intervene on the 41st minute, allowing Ollie Norwood’s free-kick to be disallowed despite clearly being taken over the line by Villa’s goalkeeper Orjan Nyland, denying Chris Wilder’s side the lead just before half-time. An incensed Wilder was then seen in a heated exchange with referee Michael Oliver, who’s insistence that his watch did not indicate a goal caused him to look more like a Strava user blaming his watch for a mediocre 5K time, than a Premier League referee.
The lack of supporters in the stadium not only added to the bizarre scenes but also meant spells of intensity were certainly lost, with both teams demonstrating just how integral a crowd can be in shaping the narrative of the game.
The magnitude of being the first game since lockdown was also reflected in the tentative nature of play, with both sides looking promising going forward, but failing to capitalise on their chances. Keinan Davis, making his first league start since December 2017, was pivotal for Villa with some excellent hold-up play that proved too much for Sheffield’s John Egan on occasion, giving the ‘Claret and Blue’ some early chances. However, despite the disallowed goal, the match proved to be a balanced affair – the draw meaning Sheffield United are now just four points off Chelsea in fourth place.
For Dean Smith, the draw at Villa Park keeps his side second from bottom having now played the same amount of games as those also enthralled in the relegation battle. Their next fixture sees them take on a Chelsea side whose recent transfer business has proved a talking point, linking some high-profile names to an already exciting young squad.
SPORT central 