Kim Hellberg's verdict on Middlesbrough's 2-1 win over Sheffield United
23:10, 09 Feb 2026Updated 23:21, 09 Feb 2026
Kim Hellberg, head coach of Middlesbrough, celebrates
Kim Hellberg, head coach of Middlesbrough, celebrates(Image: Getty Images)
Kim Hellberg called it a ‘big night’ for Middlesbrough in the race for promotion to the Premier League, as they moved top of the Championship with a 2-1 victory at Sheffield United.
Tommy Conway and Riley McGree scored first-half goals, which proved enough for a sixth consecutive league win which helped them leapfrog Coventry City into first place.
“It’s a big night,” the Boro boss said after. “It was a very tough opponent, away from home, so to get those types of results is great. It’s six wins a row, with three away games that have been won in different ways, and I think that’s really impressive from the group.
“I think the whole game was a brilliant game of football. It was two teams that were going at each other, two teams who tried to be offensive and take the ball off the other team. It was everything that I love with football in terms of that type of game.
“After the first ten minutes, I think our players were brilliant in terms of the balance of taking the ball forward when they had the opportunity. They were excellent at finding combinations, going behind them and creating a lot of chances.
“We could maybe have scored even more. I will watch it again on the bus home! Especially in the first half, against such a good team, who had won five home games in a row, scoring 15 goals in those games.
“It was a brilliant performance. To do that here, against such a good team, was really impressive from the players.”
Boro were two goals to the good at the interval, but were expecting a huge effort from the hosts in the second half, whose last defeat in the league at Bramall Lane was before Hellberg was even appointed.
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The Boro boss was particularly pleased with how his side managed the second half of the game to get over the line, even as Patrick Bamford got one back. That should have made for a nervy ending, but Joe Rothwell’s straight red card killed his side’s hopes of getting a late equaliser.
Hellberg said of the half-time message: “We talked a bit about being aware of where they were going try to go. I think from my perspective, the first 10-15 minutes of the second half is very good where we have a lot of opportunities to score.
“They're forced to clear some balls, but we win them outside their box. We maybe don't get those big chances, but we are around their box a lot. I think there’s one attack where we have three or four shots in the same attack.
“They don't get so many opportunities. I think the first is like the after 10-15 minutes because we were very good at killing the game off. Maybe we should have had a little bit more quality and scored that third goal and the game would be gone.
“Then you always know that they're going to end up creating some opportunities again. They score a lot of goals in the late stages and you have to give it to them - the goal’s brilliant from them.
“It’s an absolutely brilliant pass from [Gustavo] Hamer to [Patrick] Bamford and Bamford scores a good goal. Then, of course, you know it’s going to be a louder place, and they get a lot of energy.
“But again, that shows how strong the group is, to manage that, keep it at 2-1 and win the game. I think it was a well-deserved win and I think over 90 minutes we were the better team."
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