Ben Brereton Diaz makes promise to Sheffield United fans as striker's clinical mentality highlighted

It is a mark of his life as a striker that, when Ben Brereton Diaz's head hit the pillow on Sunday evening, he was thinking about the goal he didn't score rather than the one that did mark his full Sheffield United debut. The loan striker smashed home on his first Premier League outing to drag the Blades level in a topsy-turvy game that eventually ended 2-2.

The Chile international had given Unitedites a glimpse of what they can expect from him a fortnight earlier with a cameo appearance off the bench at Gillingham and backed that up on his first start, after two vital weeks on the training ground to acclimatise to his new surroundings and the demands of boss Chris Wilder. His lack of gametime in Spain with Villareal necessitated his substitution against the Hammers but as he left the field to a standing ovation, he was bemoaning a crucial miss that could have put his side 2-1 ahead.

James McAtee's lovely pass had sent him clear one-on-one with Alphonse Areola and despite the tight angle, he should have hit the target rather than place his shot wide. The miss looked to have proved crucial when James Ward-Prowse put West Ham ahead from the penalty spot before late drama saw Oli McBurnie win, and then convert, a penalty of his own in the 103rd minute.

"Definitely, it's something I'll be thinking about tonight now," Brereton Diaz said of that miss, speaking soon after the final whistle. "I think it was a good chance, although I've not seen it back. It was a tight angle but personally I should have put that away. It's fine margins in football, though. I could have helped the team get three points but that's football and the next time I'm in that position, I'll put it away."

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Brereton Diaz's record in front of goal this season was debated at length when news of United's interest became clear but as a player new to a country and La Liga football, two starts for Villareal is hardly opportunity enough to show his best form and the 24-year-old is now up and running. "For an attacking player it's nice to get a goal early to give me a bit of confidence," he added.

"In that moment I just saw the ball bounce down and it fell nicely so I hit it as hard as I could. I'm in a new team playing in front of new fans who want to know what I'm all about and it gives you a bit more confidence. Hopefully I can kick on now."