Warnock pleads for more credit for Blades

Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock believes his side deserve more credit than they are being given.

The Blades are out of the Premiership's bottom three after earning their first away point of the season with a goalless draw at Manchester City.

Boss Stuart Pearce's side created more chances, but it was United who came closest to breaking the deadlock when Rob Hulse hit the crossbar with an overhead kick just before the break.

United have now picked up four points from the last two matches and are up to 16th place - not that Warnock is getting carried away.

"There's still a long way to go, so we are not looking at that yet," said Warnock.

However, he feels his players are worthy of more praise than they are getting, adding: "People are missing the point in that we are a decent side.

"They will talk about Manchester City not doing so well today, but they will beat a lot of sides here.

"That would detract from what my lads have done because I don't think we let them play today."

Warnock thought his side should have won the game, although United are still yet to score on their travels in the top flight this term.

"I'm disappointed if I am honest," added Warnock.

"If you had said before the game it would be a 0-0 draw then I would have snapped your hand off. But we went about the game in the right way; we broke well, looked solid and I thought we created the better chances.

"Of those we did create I thought we could have done better with that little bit more quality.

"But we've got our first away point and we've not conceded a goal, so I have to be pleased with that."

Despite Hulse rattling the woodwork, City should easily have scored the opener before then, only for Bernardo Corradi to miss two clear opportunities from eight yards, while Georgios Samaras forced United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny into a spilled save.

The two City strikers were guilty of missing further chances after the break, while Ishmael Miller and Micah Richards also went agonisingly close.

The draw means City are still unbeaten and yet to concede a goal at Eastlands, yet Pearce knows too many opportunities went begging.

"I don't think we showed enough creativity to win the game, even though we created a few chances we should have buried," said Pearce.

"If I am being honest United deserved a point because it was not vintage performance from us.

"In the first half too many people were waiting for something to happen rather than grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck and making it happen.

"I expect us to play better than that and I expect us to win these kinds of games at home.

"The flip side is we have not conceded a goal in four games here and I am very pleased with that.

"But in more offensive positions we have to be more aggressive with everything we are trying to achieve. The 14 players that took to the pitch should have shown more tenacity to win the game but we have not been beaten and we know we will get better."