Chelsea loanee Ampadu stars as Sheffield United end record winless streak
Sheffield United overcame Newcastle 1-0 on Tuesday to end a 186-day wait for a Premier League win.
The Blades had gone 17 matches without a success at the beginning of the season, which was a record in the present era.
Chris Wilder’s side, however, took the victory thanks to a penalty from Billy Sharp in the closing 20 minutes. They were aided, however, by a red card for Ryan Fraser in the first half of the match.
Crucially, though, they shut their opponents out, with on-loan Chelsea man Ethan Ampadu their outstanding figure.
Sheffield United 1-0 Newcastle: Player Ratings, Match Stats, Player Stats
📷 Ethan Ampadu: Match Snapshot
Ampadu’s defensive numbers in this game were quite formidable and highlighted just how strong a force the 20-year-old was in this fixture.
He won two of the three tackles he attempted, while he was irreproachable in duels. He won 11 of 13 he attempted on the deck and six of seven in the air. If team-mate John Egan surpassed him in terms of duels attempted, Ampadu’s percentage won was far an above his colleague.
Meanwhile, he was also the foundation of the Blades’ attacking efforts. No-one on the field attempted more than his 75 long passes or made more touches than his 97. As many as 20 of these were completed in the final third, putting him ahead of many more advanced players in his side.
〽️ Ampadu: Rating Week-on-Week
✔️ IMPROVEMENT
Ampadu has been trending around the 6.5 mark for much of this season. His performance on Tuesday, however, was a big step up. It was reflected in an 8.1 FC Rating.
🗝️ Key Stats
Amapdu match stats
| Statistic | Value | Notes |
| FC Rating | 8.1 | Rank #1 |
| Mins Played | 90 | |
| Aerial Duels won | 6 | Rank #1 |
| Duels won | 11 | Rank #1 |
| Tackles won | 2 | |
| Touches | 97 | Rank #1 |
| Passes | 75 | Rank #1 |
Ampadu: What Next?
The immediate goal for Ampadu, who is on loan at Sheffield United until the summer, will be to help his temporary club work their way off the bottom of the Premier League. They are still three points shy of West Brom.
Meanwhile, catching 17th-placed Brighton, who are on 14 points and have a game in hand, presently looks a distant prospect.
More performances like this from the Wales man, however, will only help.
Ethan Ampadu: Player Stats, Career Stats, Playing Position
Sheffield United 1-0 Newcastle: Player Ratings, Match Stats, Player Stats