This was not the return to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium that Auston Trusty would have been dreaming off when the Sheffield United bus set off on that long and winding trip to London this weekend.
The USA international joined The Blades in a £5 million deal over the summer, and Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom may have hoped that his knowledge of the Arsenal squad could have been something of a secret weapon on what was always likely to be a difficult afternoon away at a genuine title challenger.
But, as Eddie Nketiah gave his former Gunners team-mate the runaround – scoring his first Premier League hat-trick before the clock had even reached 60 minutes – Auston Trusty co found themselves making history for all the wrong reasons.
This is now, officially, the worst start made by any team in Premier League history. Ten games, no wins, one point, seven goals scored and 29 conceded. In the three matches Trusty has started, Sheffield United’s paper-thin backline has been breached no fewer than 10 times.
Sheffield United nightmare for Auston Trusty
The twice-capped centre-back was a target for Rangers earlier this year, then-boss Mick Beale indicating that the Glasgow giants had been blown out the water in pursuit of a player who’s eventual £5 million price-tag saw him move quickly out of reach.
“Without giving any inside or outs or names or anything we went a long way down the road with a left centre-back earlier in the window,” Beale said.
“We were priced out. He moved to a Premier League club for more that what we were willing to pay.”
Just three months into his debut season at Bramall Lane, Trusty could be forgiven for wondering if he has just booked a cruise on a sinking ship, Arsenal and Nketiah drilling yet more holes in a hull filling with water.
Rangers could have had him
“If you break the game down and see what we did well and not well, the two halves reflect that,” a dejected Heckingbottom sighed following another punishing defeat, Trusty part of a backline torn limb from limb on a blood-soaked pitch (Examiner Live).
“(In the) second half, (there were) really poor goals we conceded.”
