Blackpool boss backs Sheffield United striker to come good

The 21-year-old has scored just once in 38 appearances since signing for the Blades for a £23m fee last year.

The striker, who hasn’t featured in Sheffield United’s last six games, was coached by Blackpool boss Neil Critchley during his time coming through the youth ranks at Liverpool.

While it’s unlikely Brewster will start against the Seasiders at Bramall Lane tomorrow, Critchley admits he’s looking forward to reuniting with his former player.

“I coached him for quite a few years in Liverpool so I know him well,” Pool’s head coach told The Gazette.

“He’s a great boy to work with and I’ll be looking forward to seeing him and speaking to him.

“His best quality is scoring goals, he’s a natural goalscorer. Hopefully he doesn’t hit the back of the net against us.

“I just think he’s going through a period of his career many young players go through, where not everyone takes the elevator to the top easily. Sometimes you have to take the stairs.

“It might be a little bit up and down and there’s very, very few players, like a Trent Alexander-Arnold, where they break into the team and stay there.

“A lot of young players now have to find a different pathway, they have to go out on loan and it might take them a little bit longer.

“There’s no doubting Rhian’s qualities, both as a player and a person. I fully expect him at some point to show the quality he’s got, I just hope it’s not on Saturday.”

Brewster, a star of England’s Under-17s’ World Cup win four years ago, has recently been linked with a loan move to Championship rivals Nottingham Forest.

There he would be reunited with Steve Cooper, under whom he played during a fruitful spell at Swansea City.

During the 2019/20 season, he found the back of the net on 11 occasions in 22 appearances to help fire the Swans to the play-off final.

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