Roy's view from... social media [December]

Roy looks back on a thwacking, a sacking and a cracking Christmas away day...until seven minutes into injury time.

Andrew Hague

It was a month that saw a new manager and new hope, but very few points…

Following the dreadfully disappointing 3-1 home defeat to Bournemouth, the Blades travelled to bottom club Burnley with manager Paul Heckingbottom under severe pressure. The feeling was that only a win could save him, and any hopes of a positive result were dashed after just 16 seconds when Jay Rodriguez put the home team one up. It was the joint fastest goal in Premier League history and from there on, United went from bad to worse.

By half time it was 2-0, with the Blades down to 10 men after Oli McBurnie was sent off for the second time this season. Burnley painfully punished the desperate away team in the second half, running out 5-0 winners and leaving Heckingbottom facing the inevitable. Whilst most had sympathy with the hand the manager was dealt in the summer, there was no defending recent performances:

It was no surprise to anybody when, the following Tuesday, Heckingbottom was relieved of his duties. His replacement was even less of a surprise. For months the shadow of former manager Chris Wilder had loomed over Heckinbottom, with rumours rife of a sensational return. Mere hours after PH left S2, it was announced that Wilder had signed an 18-month deal.

Less than three years previous, the roles had been reversed and it was Heckingbottom who had replaced Wilder with the Blades rock bottom of the league. Fans were left questioning the long-term plan of the club: