Verdict delivered on Sheffield United’s Auston Trusty as ex-Arsenal man set for Man United test

If Auston Trusty felt his full Premier League debut at Fulham was a dream come true, he may well be pinching himself on Saturday when he lines up against Manchester United in front of the television cameras and under the lights at Bramall Lane. The eyes of the football world will be on S2 as Sheffield United look to pull off a huge result.

It will also be confirmation of how far the defender has come to reach the big stage. He made the move from the US in January 2020 when he signed for Arsenal from Colorado. He did not feature in a competitive match for Mikel Arteta’s side and had to wait for his big chance after spending last season on loan at Birmingham.

It was a spell that caught the attention of Sheffield United and their recruitment team and manager Paul Heckingbottom pounced to make him the club’s most expensive defender at £5m. It was a show of faith in his ability and promise and the early verdict is a good one having impressed at Craven Cottage.

He won four tackles, with only Fulham’s Tim Ream winning more on the day, and Trusty also came out on top of his aerial duels on three occasions. He also made 12 of United’s 32 clearances and produced four blocks helping to keep the hosts at bay for long periods before they finally ran away with the game following a fortunate second goal.

Although on the losing side, it was a full debut to remember for the 25-year-old. He said: “Before the game I was almost getting emotional, thinking about this opportunity. It’s a long way from growing up in Pennsylvania, dribbling around my house and having to bribe my brother to play soccer with me. I had to play lacrosse with him in return.

“It’s been a long journey and a long road. Words can’t really describe it. I’m truly, truly blessed.”

It was a full debut that also pleased Heckingbottom, who said he had earned his place in the starting line-up as he delivered his verdict on his first start. He said: “He did well. He’s got the athleticism for this league.

“There are bits we want to work on. He competes really hard and works really hard in training to make those improvements. We put him in for his athleticism and the fact that he deserved his chance and I thought he did well.”

With John Egan and Chris Basham now out for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, the door has opened for Trusty to grab his chance and cement his place in the back three. Manchester United are up first before the small matter of a return to Arsenal the following week.