Sheffield United 0-6 Arsenal, Monday 4th March 2024

Sheffield United 0-6 Arsenal, FA Premier League, Bramall Lane, att. 29,980.

‘What’s it like to see a decent team?’ texts an Arsenal mate. I should tell him I often see a decent team – every time Man City are on telly. Tonite I’m with a mutual friend, PC Chris (and the ‘PC’ does not stand for ‘politically correct’). He’s back up home on a break due to his shift work and he wonders if I fancy a bit of Blunts v Gunners. Yeah, go on then...been a while since I’ve seen a Premiership game in the flesh.

I’m surprised there are tickets left, but it’s Monday nite, it’s on telly, the Blunts are going down...and the fans are suitably depressed. Oh, and it’s forty four quid. Forty four quid! For little hope of a result. Quietly though, I’m excited, a chance to see a game from a different part of the ground. As an away fan, I’ve spent countless occasions in that there two-tiered stand behind the Bramall Lane goal. So it comes as mild disappointment that that’s exactly where our tickets are, though at least it’s the upper tier, which has a fabulous view. The away fans these days are only given the lower tier.

All hail the view too, as 3 goals in the opening 14 minutes put the game out of reach. Can Arsenal better the 8 (eight) Newcastle put past them at Bramall Lane earlier this season? Sadly not. Nil five, half-time, the Gunners make several substitutions and settle for 6. Indeed, the battering has thousands leaving early. Still, when you have a £100m midfielder against opposition whose whole team didn’t cost that, what do you expect? ‘Best league in the world’ etc.

It’s a(nother) chastening experience for the home faithful, watching a team destined for relegation with over two months of the season left, the desperation most keenly felt by the PA announcer at half-time, exhorting the fans ‘to get behind the team...please’. Still, it was nice to see a decent team. And it was nice to see PC Chris. Commiserations.

The Damage:
£44 ent
c.£10 petrol
= c.£54