OLIVER ARBLASTER TO PLAY KEY ROLE IN SHEFFIELD UNITED REBUILD AMID SANDER BERGE'S PROMISING ENDORSEMENT
Oliver Arblaster backed to be a key part of Sheffield United’s big rebuild despite tender years
Oliver Arblaster, the talented young Sheffield United midfielder, has been backed to “put a big stamp” on his boyhood club in the coming years after emerging as one of the few positives from a wretched season for the Blades. United remain rock bottom of the Premier League and their slide towards the Championship continued on Saturday with a 4-1 home defeat to second-bottom Burnley.
While that result gave Vincent Kompany’s men renewed belief that they can still survive, Chris Wilder was left to admit that his side are going to return to the second tier this season after the Clarets did the double, with a 9-1 aggregate margin further highlighting how far United are from being able to compete at top-flight level.
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Saturday also saw the return of Sander Berge with Burnley, the midfielder coming back to Bramall Lane for the first time since his summer switch to Turf Moor after United elected to cash in on one of their prized assets rather than risk losing him for nothing at the end of this season.
Berge, who sent a classy message to Blades fans after the game via The Star despite being booed by sections of the Blades support, was up against 20-year-old Arblaster in midfield, with the boyhood Blade doing his growing reputation no harm on another difficult day for the Blades as a whole this season.
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Asked about the challenge of coming up against his former teammate, Berge said: “I could always tell. I spent three years here [at United] and quite early on I recognised him with the younger group. At times they trained with us and then more and more. You could tell that he was a very mature player, early on.
“He worked hard and had ability, he sees the game as well as being able to play. He's comfortable out there and he plays with no fear and I think that's how the game should be played. He has a very bright future and it's nice to see such a Sheffield through-and-through lad coming up and playing games. He will put a big stamp on Sheffield United himself and I'm looking forward to following him in the future.”