Sheffield United supporters may watch Auston Trusty's Celtic exploits with mixed emotions | OneFootball

Blades supporters will look at Auston Trusty's Celtic exploits with mixed emotions

Former Sheffield United defender Auston Trusty starred for Celtic as the Glasgow side held out for a 0-0 draw with Europa League champions Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The ex-Arsenal man spent just one full season with the Blades, and was a mainstay in the backline of a side who suffered relegation from the Premier League to the Championship last term.

However, his top-flight exploits clearly impressed Celtic, who penned a five-year deal with the Bhoys on transfer deadline day, having made one second tier appearance for the Blades this campaign.

But after moving to Celtic Park in late August, it wasn't until the 18th of September that the USA international would make his debut for Brendan Rodgers' side, appearing as a substitute late on during a 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League last month, but since then, he has been a key feature for the Glasgow giants.

The former Blades man was named in Rodgers' starting 11 for the first time on 22nd September when the Bhoys beat Scottish championship side Falkirk 5-2 in the League Cup quarter-final, and has not looked back since.

He subsequently made his Scottish Premiership debut six days later, when Celtic hammered St Johnstone 6-0, and was consequently handed his first Champions League start as Rodgers' men took on Dortmund.

Unfortunately for Trusty, he will always remember his first Champions League start for all the wrong reasons, as his side suffered a 7-1 battering in Germany, largely thanks to a Karim Adeyemi hat-trick.

But the ex-Blades defender and the Glasgow outfit would soon be back to winning ways in the league, with a 2-1 victory over Ross County prior to the international break.

During the international break, Trusty made a seven-minute cameo for the USA during a 2-0 defeat in a friendly with neighbouring Mexico.

The return to Scottish Premiership action saw Celtic lock horns with Aberdeen, who have emerged as their main title rivals so far this season, but despite holding a 2-0 lead, the Bhoys had to settle for a 2-2 draw, as former Derby County man Graeme Shinnie bagged the leveller for the Dons.

And Rodgers' men soon dusted themselves off and produced a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Atalanta in the Champions League, as Trusty played a key role in maintaining an unlikely clean sheet for his side.

According to FotMob, Trusty made 14 clearances and 10 headed clearances as the Bhoys managed to prevent the likes of Ademola Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere from scoring.

The former Blades man has established himself as a first team star for the Glasgow giants, who have made a decent start to life in the Champions League barring their Dortmund embarrassment, and look capable of winning a fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title.

Supporters of the South Yorkshire outfit will be looking on at their former player's exploits with mixed emotions, as on the one hand, they will be proud to see him performing so well, but they will also be gutted to see evidence of his great quality following his Bramall Lane exit.

Defensive record indicates Blades do not miss Trusty

While some Blades supporters may look at Trusty's mostly successful start to life with the Bhoys and wonder just how good he could have been at Championship level, Chris Wilder and co have not been missing his services in the second tier.

Although the men from Bramall Lane have suffered back-to-back league defeats at the hands of Yorkshire rivals Leeds United and Middlesbrough, they still boast the second-best defence in the Championship, having conceded just six goals in 11 fixtures.

Only Scott Parker's Burnley, who have conceded five goals in as many games, hold a better defensive record in the second tier than Chris

Wilder's side.

However, following his formidable performance in Atalanta on Wednesday night, Blades supporters were handed a reminder of just how good their former man is, and it may feel bittersweet for them to see him playing so well for his new club.