EFL Review: Oli McBurnie scores again as brilliant Blades state their intent

The Blades mean business

The Championship table is starting to take a more predictable shape as all three clubs relegated from the Premier League last summer have now consolidated their positions in the top six.

Although the ‘big guns’ are surging towards the top, the fact of the matter is that any team that finishes above Sheffield United this season will probably be deserving champions. Paul Heckingbottom’s men look like the real deal rather than early pacemakers. 

The Blades took care of Hull’s new Turkish Tigers with ease on Sunday to retake their place at the top of the table. Oli McBurnie has now scored in three consecutive games for the club, and he may be the final piece of United’s promotion puzzle if he can score more than top scorer Billy Sharp’s 14 last year.

Norwich, who sit one point and one place below the Blades, are the first second-tier side to win five games on the bounce this season after easily despatching Coventry at Carrow Road.

Aaron Ramsey, who is on loan from Aston Villa after spending last season as a bit-part player for Cheltenham, is a real find for the Canaries. Meanwhile, Teemu Pukki has seemingly returned to form. The Finn has had a hand in three goals in his last 100 minutes of action: Championship defences, beware.

Bristol City also deserve a mention as they look most likely to upset the apple cart at this stage of the season. 19-year-old midfielder Alex Scott has provided real impetus for the Robins so far, and could be a future Premier League player. Meanwhile, Andreas Weimann is rolling back the years in his new role as a number ten. They’re ones to watch.

The final word must go to Preston, whose disdain for goals this season is now capturing wider attention. The Twitter account ‘Erling Haaland v Preston North End’ is documenting the number of goals scored by both parties this year: Haaland is currently ahead, by ten goals to two. Ouch.

Stansfield’s story continues

The feel-good story of the season so far came at Exeter this weekend as Jay Stansfield made his debut at St James Park after moving on a loan deal from Fulham. 

Exeter’s new striker is the son of Adam Stansfield, who played for the club for four years and helped them to achieve two promotions from the National League to League One. He unfortunately died of cancer in August 2010, after which the Grecians retired his number nine shirt.

Upon signing last week, Jay was assigned his dad’s old shirt number, making him the first Exeter player to wear number nine since his passing. The 19-year-old has already played and impressed for Fulham’s senior side - with any luck he’ll be celebrating his first goal in front of Exeter’s Adam Stansfield Stand soon.

In less touching news, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink finally resigned from his position as Burton manager on Monday after the Brewers slumped to a fourth successive league defeat. They’ve conceded 20 goals in seven games - no other side in the whole EFL has let in more than 15 (Hull City).

Hasselbaink won the League Two title with Burton and had the side top of League One when he left the club for the first time in December 2015. His stock as a manager has fallen ever since, with successive failures at QPR, Northampton and now back at Burton.

Super Sam Hoskins

Sam Hoskins scored yet again at the weekend to take his total to eight for the season from just seven games - that’s a goal every 79 minutes. Just a reminder, Hoskins has been operating primarily as a left midfielder, and yet he’s outscoring every single player in the top four tiers of English football. Other than Erling Haaland of course.

Northampton handed Barrow their first defeat in four games on Saturday, but the Bluebirds went toe-to-toe with the Cobblers and suggested a return to winning ways will come soon.

Barrow finished 22nd in League Two last season, just six points clear of a swift return to non-league football. They did, however, replace Phil Brown with new manager Pete Wild over the summer, which seems to have reinvigorated the whole club.

Wild previously spent three years with Halifax and led the club to a play-off place in two of his three years in charge, including a fourth-placed finish last season. The Shaymen are currently languishing in 22nd place in the National League table following Wild’s departure.

A shoutout too to Leyton Orient, who are not only three points clear at the top of the division but also the only remaining unbeaten team in League Two. Orient, Portsmouth and Ipswich are the only three teams yet to lose a game in the EFL this season.