John Lundstram strikes to give Sheffield United victory over Crystal Palace
The smell of fresh paint and the warmth of the August sun hinted at exciting new beginnings but there was also a lot that seemed reassuringly familiar about Sheffield United as they hosted Premier League football for the first time in 12 years.
While Bramall Lane enjoyed a £5m summer makeover, Chris Wilder kept faith with the philosophy which won his Blades two promotions in the last three seasons and furnished him with the best recent win percentage of any manager in England.