That was evident enough here before the first meeting between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday in over 2,000 days. To whet the appetite, and perhaps even stir up some emotions, United opted to welcome the goalscorers from their last derby win in 2017 - John Fleck, Leon Clarke and Mark Duffy - on to the Bramall Lane pitch.
The response was ferocious, and underlined how success in this game can stand you apart as a hero of either Sheffield club. Around two hours later, there was another name to add to that list, with Tyrese Campbell's goal proving to be the difference and swinging the local bragging rights decisively the way of United.
Perhaps it was fitting that if there was to be a winning goal scored here then it was Campbell who would claim it, given how it is not far off 25 years to the day since his father, the late, great Kevin Campbell, scored Everton's winner against Liverpool in 1999, which solidified his status as a Goodison Park great.
This story is from the November 11, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the November 11, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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