Sheffield United and Crystal Palace will surely share the same hope after one Saturday performance: View | OneFootball

One Blades winger enjoyed a particularly good afternoon on Saturday

It has been an excellent start to the 2024/25 Championship season for Sheffield United.

Following their dismal relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season, the Blades found themselves needing something of a reset on the pitch.

Meanwhile, the potential for one off it has been thrown up in the air, amid the ongoing uncertainty and wait for a takeover at Bramall Lane.

That though, has not proved a distraction for Chris Wilder's side when it comes to results, with Sheffield United now the only unbeaten team left in the Championship.

With six wins and three draws, they are the only side yet to taste defeat in the division during the campaign so far.

After being deducted two points at the start of the season they sit second in the current standings, level on points with league leaders Sunderland.

That comes after another win on Saturday afternoon for Sheffield United, in which one player in particular made a big impact.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi at the double against Luton Town

This weekend, the Blades welcomed a Luton Town side who they were relegated alongside last season, to Bramall Lane.

It was the hosts who would come out on top in that game, claiming a comfortable 2-0 win over the Hatters.

That was largely thanks to Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who, on his 22nd birthday, netted both goals to secure those three points for Sheffield United.

His first was particularly impressive, reacting quickly to win possession on the edge of the Luton area, before lashing an excellent finish beyond Thomas Kaminski in the opposition goal.

His second, shortly after the interval, saw him fire through the legs of the Hatters 'keeper from a tight angle to all but seal the three points for the Blades.

Now, there is surely an argument that not only Sheffield United, but also Crystal Palace, will be desperate to see Rak-Sakyi build on that over the course of the rest of the campaign.

Crystal Palace loanee could be vital for Sheffield United

Of course, the Blades pulled off something of a coup in the summer transfer window, when they completed the signing of Rak-Sakyi on a season-long loan from Crystal Palace.

Other Championship sides, such as Leeds United and Hull City, were also credited with an interest in the winger, with the former said to have been targeting a £15million permanent deal.

That seemed to highlight the level of potential and quality Sheffield United were getting, when they completed their temporary deal for the winger.

Prior to that win over Luton however, the Blades had perhaps not fully seen that, with Rak-Sakyi previously unable to score or assist in eight games for the club in all competitions.

Netting that double to claim victory over the Hatters will therefore surely feel like something of a weight off the shoulders of the 22-year-old, especially with the expectation there is around him.

With that in mind, the pressure may now have lifted on Rak-Sakyi somewhat, giving him a bit more freedom to play his game and make this sort of an impact on a regular basis.

Sheffield United will surely hope he can, given they ought to know just what he is capable of doing, if he can hit top form.

Back in 2022/23, Rak-Sakyi spent a season on loan in League One with Charlton Athletic, where he made a big impression, with 15 goals and eight assists in 43 league matches.

There seemed to be a belief that the winger would be able to replicate in the Championship this season, and Saturday's game was the first clear sign he will be able to do so.

If he can maintain that through the course of the campaign, those figures are the sort that would make him a major part of the promotion push Sheffield United are expected to make.

Having as many players as possible doing that will be vital for their chances of an immediate return to the Premier League, so Saturday's contribution from Rak-Sakyi is a welcome sight for them.

Meanwhile, it is also likely that those watching on at Crystal Palace will have been particularly pleased to see that from one of their loanees as well on Saturday.

The Eagles will have sent him out on loan in the hope of him continuing his development, by showing he can make an impact at this level.

Beyond that, the fact they turned down such a sizable from Leeds in the summer, suggests they believe and want Rak-Sakyi to play a more significant part for them in the future.

Those goals he scored for Sheffield United on Saturday may indicate he is making the progress he needs to in order to do that, thus vindicating their stance from the summer.

It could also be worth noting that a slow start to the season finds Crystal Palace currently in the Premier League relegation zone.

As a result, Rak-Sakyi's ability to do the business in the Championship could be more important to them than many would have first anticipated.

With all that in mind, the winger's contribution for Sheffield United on Saturday, is something that everyone involved in this deal, will no doubt hope continues for the rest of the season.