Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder was happy to take a 2-0 win over Everton and “get out of Liverpool as quickly as possible” after admitting the performance was littered with mistakes.
The Blades managed just one shot on target – substitute Lys Mousset’s 79th-minute strike – after Yerry Mina’s own goal had put the visitors ahead just before half-time.
They had just 30 per cent possession and won only two corners but what they lacked in the numbers the players made up for in determination and commitment as they registered their first top-flight win since December 2006 (the season they were relegated) while at the same time inflicting Everton’s first home league defeat since February.
“It is possibly as poor as we have done with possession,” said Wilder.
“It is not like us, we turned the ball over cheaply. We didn’t have any sort of control of the game.
“As well as we defended the box out of possession it was the poorest we’ve played so far this season.
“But we have a solidity about us that if we are not good with the ball we have something behind us that gives us the opportunity of getting a result.
“It was a long afternoon for me and the staff as we made so many bad decisions, individual mistakes, giving the ball away cheaply.
“You just have days like today and you have to accept it, take it and get out of Liverpool as quickly as possible.”
Everton manager Marco Silva could not believe how nervous his players were after falling behind, considering their impressive record at Goodison Park up to that point.
“After that (own goal) the game changed completely and we didn’t handle the normal pressure,” he said.
“We didn’t show the right ability on the pitch and the strong personality you have to show in some moments.
“We didn’t have reasons to play football and we were so nervous in the 60 minutes after the goal was conceded.
“We were seven months without losing at Goodison Park so there was no reason for us to play so nervous.
“We cannot handle normal pressure or take the right decisions if you are so nervous playing football.
“We understand the reaction of our fans (who were booing) at the end of the match.”
However, Silva felt the opening goal should not have been allowed to stand due to Callum Robinson’s shoulder-to-shoulder challenge with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at a near-post corner.
A routine VAR check was made but saw no reason to change referee Simon Hooper’s decision.
“In my opinion we don’t try to find excuses but it was a foul on Jordan in the six-yard box,” he added.
“It was an own goal and the referee said it was a goal.
“For me it looked like a free-kick for us but it was the referee’s decision and we have to respect it but in the opposition box it was always a foul in these kind of moments – and not just on the goalkeeper.”
