Manchester City assistant Juanma Lillo says Erling Haaland’s mentality helps set him apart from most other goalscorers.

Haaland missed a first-half penalty and several other chances in Sunday’s 2-1 Premier League win at Sheffield United before finally breaking the hosts’ stubborn resistance at Bramall Lane.

The Norway striker headed City into a second-half lead and after substitute Jayden Bogle fired a late Blades equaliser, Rodri smashed home City’s winner to send them top of the table with three straight wins.

Lillo, who took on the head coach’s role as Pep Guardiola recovers from back surgery, said: “Today would have been difficult for any striker, how it played out in the first half.

“Of course there was the situation with the penalty, which is frustrating for anyone, but that could happen to any striker, not just Erling.

“What it does show is that, and not just because he scored, because he came close on a couple of other occasions as well, came really close with (another) header, that it really shows his mental fortitude to keep going and keep going.

“That’s something that’s really difficult to find and he showed it throughout.

“He’s a very young lad and his mindset is so good that, OK he’s missed a penalty, but he’s come back now and he wants to keep going and keep trying to score these goals.”

The Blades’ central back three of captain John Egan, Jack Robinson and Anel Ahmedhodzic were key to their side’s disciplined rearguard action, which stifled Haaland for large parts of the game.

Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom, who could not hide his disappointment at failing to hold on for a point, said: “I’m not going to tell you the plan because we may do it again next time.

“The central defenders enjoyed that challenge. Haaland enjoyed that challenge and got really wound up.

“He was really pleased with his goal obviously. He’s a big, big threat.”

The Blades introduced latest signing Cameron Archer to the Bramall Lane faithful before kick-off and Heckingbottom expects more transfer activity between now and midnight on Friday when the window closes.

“We’ve lost players but that’s changed our resources, so we’re doing as much as we possibly can to come out of the window in the best possible shape,” he added.

“I’ve been pleased with the signings and pleased with them as characters, as people and buying into what we’re about.

“You can see in the performance. The reason I’m so disappointed about not having a point is for the players and the fans.

“You could see the reaction, everyone’s together on it, everyone knows what we’re trying to do.

“That’s the reason I’m really upset about the point. How crucial it will be at the end of the season, who knows?”

Assistant boss Juanma Lillo admitted he did not enjoy standing in for Pep Guardiola after Manchester City’s hard-fought 2-1 win at Sheffield United.

Guardiola watched his side extend their 100 per cent start to go top of the Premier League from Barcelona, where he is recovering from back surgery.

City turned in a dominant display at a sold-out Bramall Lane, but went close to letting two points slip when Blades substitute Jayden Bogle fired an 85th-minute equaliser.

Bogle cancelled out Erling Haaland’s second-half header – the Norway striker had missed a penalty before the break – only for Rodri to rescue City by smashing home an 88th-minute winner.

When asked if he enjoyed taking charge in Guardiola’s absence, Lillo said: “Not at all. I much prefer being with Pep. Especially when it’s a question of health, I don’t enjoy this at all. We miss his presence now more than ever.

“I haven’t spoken to him after the match. During the match I spoke to him at some moments, but generally he was speaking to the other members of the technical staff. But he’s been totally present today.”

City dominated possession throughout and were rarely troubled by the Blades, who produced a resolute and disciplined defensive display.

Haaland steered his 37th-minute penalty on to a post after Blades skipper John Egan had handled, but made amends by heading his side in front in the 63rd minute.

“Generally I thought we played really well today,” said Lillo, who confirmed Phil Foden had started on the bench due to an upset stomach. “It was a lot closer to what we wanted.

“From the second half I thought we really found our rhythm and we were able to win the ball back a lot quicker.

“We were able to find the new spaces created from winning the ball back quicker and we could have scored more before the first goal went in.”

Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom feels his side, back in the top flight after a two-year absence, are also improving despite losing their first three matches.

Heckingbottom said: “I’m pleased with the performance. You need a perfect performance to beat them because that wasn’t a below-par City.

“We got punished for two things we should do better. The sickener for me is the nature of how Rodri has lashed it in.

“It just comes after Phil (Foden) has mis-controlled the ball and just drops into his path.

“It’s a kick in the teeth after all the good play they had had and they way we had dealt with it. We’ve lost a point, but we’ll focus on the performance I think.

“Game on game we’ve got better and we certainly believe we’re going to have enough.”

Rodri’s late winner clinched Manchester City a hard-fought 2-1 win at Sheffield United and lifted them top of the Premier League.

The City midfielder crashed home a shot from inside the area less than three minutes after Blades substitute Jayden Bogle had cancelled out Erling Haaland’s second-half header with an 85th-minute equaliser.

It was a breathless finish to a game City had dominated – Haaland missed a first-half penalty – but Rodri’s strike finally ended the Blades’ brave resistance and sealed absent manager Pep Guardiola’s 200th win in the English top flight.

With City assistant coach Juanma Lillo in charge of the visitors’ dugout as Guardiola recovers from back surgery in Barcelona, it took 12 minutes for his side to carve out their first chance as Haaland headed straight at Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.

The home side, forced to replace Ben Osborn with summer signing Yasser Larouci in the 17th minute, stuck resolutely to their task as City hogged the ball and patiently probed for an opening.

Foderingham denied the visitors again in the 26th minute by deflecting Alvarez’s shot for a corner.

City were gifted the chance to take a first-half lead when Alvarez’s cross struck John Egan on the arm as the Blades skipper slid in to block and referee Jarred Gillett pointed straight to the spot.

But Haaland failed to convert as his low, left-footed penalty struck Foderingham’s left-hand post.

Blades defender George Baldock was booked for his juddering challenge on Jack Grealish before the interval and the home fans gave their side a standing ovation at the half-time whistle with the score at 0-0.

Lillo stepped out into the technical area for the first time shortly after the restart to see Haaland shank Kyle Walker’s cross inches wide.

There was now more urgency to City’s approach play. Rodri pulled a low effort wide, Foderingham rescued the Blades again by palming Haaland’s dinked effort for a corner and Alvarez lashed Grealish’s lay-off just wide.

Walker then blazed over before City made the breakthrough in the 63rd minute.

Grealish was marshalled by Baldock on the left edge of the area, but made space to clip the ball to the far post and Haaland powered home his third league goal of the season with a towering header.

The Blades responded as substitute Oli McBurnie headed wide from a corner and at the other end Foderingham kept out Mateo Kovacic’s free-kick.

Bramall Lane erupted in the 85th minute when substitute Bogle arrowed a shot inside the far post to haul his side level following an earlier error by former Blade Walker.

But before a crowd of 31,336 could catch breath, Walker made amends by out-muscling Larouci out wide and his cross was lashed home by Rodri after Phil Foden had mis-controlled.

The Blades almost snatched another equaliser when Anel Ahmedhodzic just failed to latch on to McBurnie’s cross, but City held firm to maintain their 100 per cent start.

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper saw growth in his side as they rallied to beat Sheffield United late on.

Forest looked like being held by the Blades after Taiwo Awoniyi’s third-minute opener was cancelled out by Gus Hamer’s delightful strike shortly after half-time.

But Chris Wood, whose loan move from Newcastle was made permanent in the summer, came up with the goods in the 89th minute when he headed home to seal a 2-1 victory and get his side’s Premier League campaign up and running.

Cooper does not think his side would have won that fixture last season and praised his side’s mentality.

“The last sort of 30 minutes of the game I thought we were by far the superior team, played high up the pitch, played good football, and created real dangerous moments in the game,” Cooper said.

“We took the game to try and win it. Of course we were by far the better team, of course we deserved to win, but I really liked the attitude of the team in getting over the line and getting the goal late on.

“I’m not sure we win that game last year at times, especially at the start of the season. It reminded me a little bit of (the 3-2 home defeats against) Fulham and Bournemouth, so hopefully that is a bit of growth in the mentality of the team.

“I really liked how we stuck to the task, there was only one team who deserved to win tonight.

“We took our foot off the pedal and gave Sheffield United a chance in the game. I am really glad we regrouped and did what we did in the last 30 minutes.”

The Blades have now lost their opening two games on their return to the top flight after two seasons away.

But they may feel hard done by as, after overcoming a chastening first 30 minutes, they competed well and had chances to take the lead when the score was 1-1.

Paul Heckingbottom’s side are a work in progress after their preparations for the season were hit by the sale of star players Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye, meaning recruitment is still going on.

The Blades boss is confident players will come in, but knows the current situation is hurting their chances.

“I just feel for the players a little bit because they deserved more this,” he said.

“If you sign players in June or July, you have two or three months with them by the end of August. If you sign them in August you are looking at September, October into November before you are really happy.

“It is something I have prepared for. I wish we weren’t doing it in the Premier League, but it can’t scare us, it can’t be an excuse.

“There is a commitment to get the players in, we will get them in, but it’s tough.

“It’s tough recruiting, we could go and get one tomorrow, but it wouldn’t be the one I want. I am playing my part in that, part of my brief is to develop players and make money for the club as well.

“I have to believe in a player and he has to be able to come and add. We will get them, I just wish we had them.

“But it’s no one fault, we can’t control when clubs come and take our players. Circumstances have meant we have been vulnerable.”

Chris Wood climbed off the bench to score an 89th-minute winner as Nottingham Forest got their Premier League season up and running with a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United.

Forest looked like being held by the Blades after Taiwo Awoniyi’s third-minute opener was cancelled out by Gus Hamer’s delightful strike shortly after half-time.

But after Steve Cooper’s men had laboured in the second half, Wood, whose loan move from Newcastle was made permanent in the summer, came up with the goods near the end when he headed home.

It ensured Forest won their first points of the season after defeat at Arsenal last week while the Blades have lost their opening two games on their return to the top flight after two seasons away.

The Blades may feel hard done by as, after overcoming a chastening first 30 minutes, they competed well and had chances to have gone in front when the score was 1-1.

The City Ground was vital in earning Forest most of the points that led them to safety last season and their home form is going to be important again considering their first four away games are against the Gunners, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Manchester City.

And they made a flying start by taking the lead inside the opening three minutes.

Brennan Johnson teed up Serge Aurier on the right and the defender sent in a perfect cross for Awoniyi to power home a header from six yards.

Forest were completely dominant and looked a constant threat in the opening half-hour.

Awoniyi almost had another but Anel Ahmedhodzic intercepted at the far post, with the pace and power of the Nigeria striker causing the visiting defence problems.

He thought he should have had a penalty when he burst through and went down after tangling with Ahmedhodzic, but referee Peter Bankes waved away protests.

The Blades began to enjoy some encouraging moments towards the end of the first half as Vinicius Souza’s curling effort from 20 yards was saved by Matt Turner while other promising opportunities were ended by a poor last ball.

They started the second half on the front foot and were level in the 48th minute as debutant Hamer introduced himself in style following his arrival last week.

Forest could not clear a corner properly and it fell to the former Coventry man 20 yards out and he sent a delicious curling effort into the top corner to send the visiting fans wild.

The Blades were rampant and almost took the lead when Souza hit a first-time effort just wide.

Forest had to weather the storm but they still carried a threat on the break, with the pace of Awoniyi causing problems.

He looked to have regained the lead in the 55th minute when he raced clear and dinked home, but the flag went up as he was well offside.

That did at least turn the tide and it was the hosts that were looking more dangerous.

But some schoolboy defending from Joe Worrall and Scott McKenna, who collided with each other, handed the Blades a great chance to go in front. Benie Traore raced through but Turner got down brilliantly to keep out a low effort.

Forest got their reward late on when Wood, who had come on for Awoniyi, headed home another pinpoint Aurier cross from the right.

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson was surprised at himself after getting involved in a touchline spat with Sheffield United’s Max Lowe as his side enjoyed a winning start to the Premier League season.

Hodgson clashed with the Blades defender, who appeared to shove the 76-year-old in the midriff, midway through the second half after he stopped the ball in the dugout.

His side were winning 1-0 at the time through Odsonne Eduoard’s 50th-minute goal and that is how it ended at Bramall Lane as Palace started the campaign strongly.

“It took me a bit by surprise, I suppose I don’t take many challenges these days at my age, so it took me by surprise,” Hodgson said of the incident.

“It was nothing at all and immediately afterwards Max Lowe looked over and we smiled at each other.

“He obviously realised he hadn’t done a lot to hurt me and I was probably a bit surprised I have got the energy to react in the way I did.”

Hodgson also distanced himself from wantaway goalkeeper Vicente Guaita’s pre-match tweet, which appeared to question his exclusion from the matchday squad.

The Palace boss said earlier this week that the Spaniard had refused to play in pre-season, but he tweeted: “Where is my name? So how can I play for Palace?”

Hodgson said: “I didn’t know that happened, I don’t really think about it at all.

“I’m more than happy we got through today’s game, our goalkeeper was largely untroubled throughout the game, everything he had to do he did well.. What you’re talking about will be something that he and the club will need to sort out, for me it doesn’t affect me whatsoever.”

Defeat for the Blades worsens the gloom around the club following last season’s promotion.

They have sold star men Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge and have yet to replace them, with boss Paul Heckingbottom admitting that the loss exposed how far away they are from competing at this level.

But he expects that to improve between now and the end of the transfer window.

“It’s obvious. That’s not the story,” he said when asked whether this loss highlighted the gap. “The story is that’s where we are at the minute, but we’re only going to improve. We’ve sold players so we have got the money to spend to bring players in.

“I can’t be critical, I think we needed the first goal if I am honest. We compromised the way we wanted to play with the difference in the team.

“But I felt by being disruptive and aggressive, we had an impact on the game, especially in the second half.

“To concede the first goal so early in the second half made it difficult. These are a well established team, they have experience, they have some real quality. I have not come away from there scared and the players shouldn’t either.”

Odsonne Edouard’s second-half goal earned Crystal Palace a 1-0 win against Sheffield United to worsen the gloom at Bramall Lane.

Edouard struck from close range four minutes after the restart to give the Eagles a deserved three points in the Premier League opener.

It was thoroughly convincing for Roy Hodgson’s men as they had two further goals disallowed, while Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham made a number of saves to keep his side in it.

Indeed, Hodgson’s biggest problem was a tweet from wantaway goalkeeper Vicente Guaita before the game, seemingly questioning why he was not in the team.

United’s return to the top flight after two seasons away ended with a whimpering defeat to compound a negative few weeks which saw the sale of Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge.

Boss Paul Heckingbottom admitted before the match that United are “nowhere near” where they need to be and that showed as they lacked any real goal threat throughout the match.

The signing of Gustavo Hamer from Coventry overnight had boosted spirits and he was paraded on the pitch before kick-off.

The atmosphere helped the Blades make a strong start, with Will Osula going close inside the opening 10 minutes with an effort that was deflected just wide.

But Palace began to take control of the game, with Eberechi Eze running things with his impressive ball-carrying skills.

And he twice saw goalbound efforts blocked, first from Jack Robinson and then from John Egan.

The visitors thought they had taken the lead midway through the first half when Jordan Ayew headed home after Joachim Andersen’s shot had been fumbled by Foderingham, but it was ruled out for offside.

It was little surprise when they did go in front just after the restart.

Ayew found a good position on the right hand side and sent in a wicked low cross which was begging to be converted and Edouard duly obliged, stabbing in from close range.

It could have been two 10 minutes later as Edouard found space at the far post from Eze’s free-kick but his header was straight at Foderingham.

The former Celtic striker also had a goal ruled out for offside, while Ayew tested Foderingham’s handling with a fierce shot that was palmed away.

Palace kept knocking on the door for a second and Foderingham got down brilliantly to keep out Andersen’s header.

The Blades had nothing in the way of a response, other than plenty of effort, as Palace saw it out with ease.

Sheffield United have made Tunisia international Anis Slimane their first summer signing.

The Blades have signed Slimane from Danish club Brondby on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, understood to be around £1.2million.

The 22-year-old midfielder, who played for Tunisia in last year’s World Cup, told the club’s official website: “I like the culture of the club. I heard it is a hard-working club and that reminds me of myself.

“I love to work hard, and I love to give everything – leave everything out on the pitch. At this club, nothing is given, everything is worked for.

“I had a really good talk with the club and the manager and I felt that they had the right plan for me. The manager was really honest and I am excited to be here and looking forward to the Premier League.

“It is a big opportunity and a big challenge, I am not coming here for a vacation. I have been through a lot in my career so far, even though I’m only 22, but I still have a lot to learn, and I am looking forward to learning every day.”

Boss Paul Heckingbottom, whose club have also been linked with Ivorian winger Benie Traore, is delighted to sign a player with experience at such a young age.

“He’s 22 but someone with a lot of experience. He’s played a lot of first-team games, been to a World Cup and someone who has continually gone up the ladder in terms of his levels,” Heckingbottom said.

“He’s a technical player who can handle the ball really well and someone who works really hard. I think the fact that he’s played in a number of positions at international level and has been trusted in those positions shows he gets the game tactically.

“Anis is someone we’ve known about since we first took the job here, really in that first window. We never really had the opportunity to do something until now and it has just coincided with his contract situation so the timing is really good for both of us.”

The Blades are preparing for life back in the Premier League after two seasons away and are currently in a fight to keep star striker Iliman Ndiaye.

The Senegal international is reportedly attracting interest from Marseille, but the PA news agency first revealed that he has been offered a bumper new deal by the South Yorkshire club.

Sheffield United have offered star striker Iliman Ndiaye a new contract amid reported interest from Marseille.

The 23-year-old is entering the final 12 months of his current deal but has now been offered fresh terms, which are greatly improved, the PA news agency understands.

Ndiaye was a key player in the Blades’ promotion to the Premier League last season and speculation has linked him to Marseille, but it is understood there has been no official approach from the Ligue 1 club.

Ndiaye’s career has enjoyed a meteoric rise, with the Blades signing him from Boreham Wood in 2019.

He is now a Senegal international and was the subject of a £25million bid from Everton in the January transfer window, which his club rejected immediately.

The Blades’ offer to him signals their intent to keep him at Bramall Lane as they prepare for their return to the top tier after two seasons away.

Anis Ben Slimane is set to become their first signing of the summer as the Tunisia international is due to undergo the second part of his medical on Wednesday after a fee was agreed with Danish side Brondby.

Republic of Ireland defender Enda Stevens has completed a move to Stoke on a 12-month contract after his Sheffield United deal expired.

The 32-year-old, who twice helped the Blades win promotion to the Premier League during a six-year spell at Bramall Lane, has linked up with the Potters ahead of Saturday’s pre-season friendly at Notts County and will travel to Spain for the club’s Costa Blanca training camp.

Stevens told the Sky Bet Championship club’s website: “I am delighted to be here and really excited to work with the gaffer and the boys this week before heading out to Spain for the training camp.

“It feels like the club is at the start of an ambitious project and I see another chance to be successful.

“Stoke City is a club of strong stature and, if we can play in a similar way to the Alex Neil teams I’ve come up against in the past, I have a belief that we can be really competitive in the Championship this season.”

Stevens has more than 450 appearances under his belt and was ever-present as Sheffield United finished ninth in the Premier League in 2019-20.

England Under-21s’ Tommy Doyle admits Manchester City’s treble winners have given him inspiration for Euro glory.

The midfielder watched as his parent club won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League while on loan at Sheffield United.

Doyle also won promotion with the Blades after finishing second in the Championship.

He is in Georgia ahead of England’s Group C opener with the Czech Republic in Batumi on Thursday and feels Pep Guardiola’s superstars have provided added motivation for him.

“It’s massive to see and gives you inspiration as well to go on to win and get yourself in that team as well to enjoy success,” said the 21-year-old.

“It was special. Of course you want to be there as well and be involved but you have to respect where you’re at at this moment.

“I was 110 per cent focused on Sheffield United and what I needed to do there but, as well as a player of City, I’m a fan as well so I was always watching. I had my fan hat on more because I was at a different club.

“It’s massive for the club. They deserved it, they were brilliant and when it got to the business end they stepped up another level.”

The Young Lions go into the tournament as one of the favourites in Georgia.

Cole Palmer won the treble with Manchester City this season, Ben Johnson helped West Ham win the Europa Conference League, Max Aarons has won the Championship twice and Morgan Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes and Emile Smith Rowe lifted the Under-17s World Cup in 2017.

Gareth Southgate believes the senior side have serial winners and Doyle feels the Young Lions, who also face Israel and Germany in the group stage, are the same.

He said: “Yeah, of course. It’s on a little bit of a different scale. A lot of the lads in the seniors, the ones I know from City, have just come off the back of winning a treble and that is obviously massive for anyone as a player.

“But lads here have won a lot, whether that be at academy level or stepping up and winning promotions or whatever that is.

“We have lads who love to win, want to win and who have won before. That obviously does help.”

Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp will not get the chance to represent his boyhood club in the Premier League again next season after being released.

The 37-year-old, who came through the youth ranks at Bramall Lane, will end his third spell at the club at the conclusion of his current contract, departing having made 377 appearances and scored 129 goals.

He did play 45 times for the Blades last season as they won promotion from the Championship and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, but boss Paul Heckingbottom does not think he is worth a new deal in the top flight.

Jack O’Connell and Enda Stevens are also released and will depart the club having played their parts in promotions over the years.

The Blades have exercised the options on contracts for Oliver Norwood, Oliver McBurnie, Wes Foderingham and Ismaila Coulibaly to keep them at the club while negotiations over new deals for John Fleck, Jack Robinson and Ben Osborn are ongoing.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore has urged his side to “embrace the moment” as the build-up to their Sky Bet League One play-off final continues.

The Owls reached Monday’s final in dramatic circumstances following a remarkable comeback against Peterborough in the semi-final, which saw them overturn a four-goal deficit in the first leg to then win 5-3 on penalties.

Their victory sets up a clash against Barnsley at Wembley with promotion to the Championship the prize and Moore is looking forward to the occasion between the South Yorkshire rivals.

He told a pre-match press conference: “Having two clubs so close together, it’s a Wembley final, two teams from Yorkshire competing for that final spot to get up into the Championship, it bodes well for a wonderful game.

“We’re just focusing on the game, focusing on the here and now and we’re looking forward to it.

“Like I said to the players, we’re to embrace this moment, embrace this time, because you’re embracing the moment in time not on your own.

“We have a multitude – an army – of fans with us as well as the staff, the players…it’s a oneness that we’ve always maintained throughout the season and that’s what we’ll see on Monday.”

Moore also recognised how special it is to play at Wembley, but stressed that he is preparing for it like “a normal game”.

“These times now are to be enjoyed, embraced, remember these times because they are special times,” he added.

“I said the beautiful thing about this for the players is you don’t stand there alone, I don’t have this as a lone figure as a manager because I feel I have a multitude that is with me.

“Players, staff, we’re all in it together, so we’re all approaching this together.

“My message has always been clear…to embrace this moment, enjoy the moment and within the club internally we’ve been planning and preparing as we would for a normal game.

“The game will quickly be upon us on Monday where we’ll get to compete and contest.”

The Tykes earned a league double over the Owls in the regular season for the first time since 2009, winning 2-0 at Hillsborough in September before securing a 4-2 win in the reverse fixture in March.

Despite Barnsley’s winning record against them this season, Moore is only focused on what is at stake on Monday.

“For me now what’s gone on has gone on before, we forget those things now and we focus on the here and now, the present.

“That’s what it is because the reason why the game’s being played at Wembley, it’s a final, the arena’s different, the atmosphere’s different, the mental side is different so it’s the here and now moment to deal with the games.”

Barnsley head coach Michael Duff has expressed admiration for Sheffield Wednesday counterpart Darren Moore before Monday’s Sky Bet League One play-off final.

The pair go head-to-head at Wembley on Monday when the two South Yorkshire rivals clash in the third tier’s winner-takes-all season finale.

Barnsley edged past Bolton 1-0 on aggregate in their semi-final, while Wednesday overcame the biggest first-leg deficit in play-off history before beating Peterborough on penalties.

Moore silenced the Owls fans who had called for him to be sacked after his side’s 4-0 first-leg defeat appeared to have left them dead and buried and Duff paid tribute to his rival manager.

Duff said: “Darren deserves loads of credit because one thing he’s done the whole season, when weirdly there’s been a bit of noise about him when they got 96 points this season, is keep his counsel because he’s a good fella.

“First and foremost, he’s a good fella. He’s obviously a football man, he’s been around it a long, long time.

“I don’t know what he’s like as a manager in terms of day-to-day stuff, but you take people as you find them and we’ve beaten them twice and he’s been humble, he’s taken it.

“He says ‘fair play to you’ and shakes your hand. No excuses afterwards that some managers come out with. He said ‘better team won’ and I think that goes a long way just as a human being.”

Barnsley completed the league double over the Owls this season for the first time since 2009, winning 2-0 at Hillsborough in September and 4-2 at Oakwell in March.

But they finished 10 points adrift of their local rivals in the table, with the Owls’ 96-point tally more than any other side not to finish in the top two of any league in English football’s history.

That did not stop the vitriol that came Moore’s way after his side’s 4-0 semi-final first-leg defeat at Peterborough.

Some fans called for his head before the return leg, while Wednesday were forced to issue a statement condemning a racist message directed at Moore on social media.

“It shows you the emotional state people can get into,” Duff said. “Darren’s a good manager, full stop.

“Was he a terrible manager when they got beaten 4-0? No. And he’s become an even better manager now because of the belief he gave them.

“Things he said in interviews and in the dressing room, things he showed the players. Good management. He managed to get the best out of it.”

Barnsley finished fourth in the table, one place below Wednesday, and their 86-point haul would have been enough for automatic promotion in three of the last 10 seasons.

Barnsley head coach Michael Duff has challenged one of his players “to step up and be the hero” in their Sky Bet League play-off final against Sheffield Wednesday.

Wednesday will start as the bookmakers’ favourites for Monday’s Wembley showdown against their local rivals after overturning a 4-0 first-leg deficit in their thrilling semi-final win against Peterborough.

Barnsley finished fourth in the table, 10 points behind Wednesday, but backed up their 2-0 league win at Hillsborough in September with a 4-2 victory over the Owls at Oakwell in March.

Duff, who took over last summer following the club’s relegation from the Championship, said: “I bet if you look at the odds we’ll be the underdogs. It’s not me trying to create a narrative of my own, they are the facts.

“They finished on 96 points, God knows how many goals they scored, loads of clean sheets, 23-game unbeaten run and they were 4-0 down after the (semi-final) first leg.

“But they’re in a one-off game with us now and the positive is that we know we can hurt them.

“We think we know what we’re going to get and hopefully someone can step up and be the hero.”

Barnsley’s first league double over their South Yorkshire rivals in March also halted the Owls’ club record 23-game unbeaten run.

But Duff, who will choose his starting line-up from a fully-fit squad, said that would have little bearing on Monday’s winner-takes-all encounter.

“Other than the fact that we know we can beat them,” Duff said. “You can dress it up which ever way you want. They’re older, much more experienced.

“Their players will have thousands more league appearances than we have and that might help them. It might not.

“Our youth and naivety might help us. We won’t know until the game pans out, but we know we can hurt them.

“We also know they’re a huge club with big players, and big players, a lot of the time, step up in big moments.

“So we’ll enjoy the day as much as we can, but we’re not going to Wembley for a day out, we’re going there to win.”

Duff acknowledged significant local bragging rights were at stake for both clubs’ fans, but does not feel that will be such a big factor for the players.

“There’s no point hiding away from it,” the former Cheltenham boss added. “But we’re not going to drum it up into something it isn’t.

“It’s a game of football. It’s 22 lads running around, there will be three blokes in black annoying everybody, probably, the pitch will be green and there will be white lines.

“Obviously the local derby element adds just a little bit of spice to what already will be a brilliant game.”