Crystal Palace defender and Danish international Joachim Andersen came up against the young Blades’ striker on the opening day of the Premier League season

Joachim Andersen has described what it was like to face fellow Dane Will Osula, and his verdict demonstrates why the young striker is so highly regarded. On the first day of the season, the Crystal Palace defender faced his countryman at Bramall Lane.

The Eagles defeated Sheffield United thanks to Odsonne Édouard’s second-half strike, but the game also verified Osula’s rise from academy to Premier League striker.

After a great summer, the door has opened for the 20-year-old to join Paul Heckingbottom’s squad this season. He has seized his opportunity after rising through the junior ranks and has already shown glimpses of his talent, with his speed and strength becoming a genuine headache for defenders.

He has demonstrated in the early stages of the season why Heckingbottom and his coaching staff think so highly of him and why he has a bright future in the game.

He’s not simply looking to make an impression at the club level. He is now with the Danish under-21 team for friendlies against France and Slovakia, and he is a player around whom United may build their future.

The judgement from Denmark international Andersen, an established center defense who represented his country at the past World Cup, will provide extra confidence and give Osula plenty of heart ahead of the Premier League fixtures to come.

Osula is familiar to the 27-year-old after spending time in the senior set-up during the summer, and having faced him on the first day of the season, he advises him to keep doing what he does best: making life difficult for defenders.

He said: “I have spoken to him. He trained a bit with us this summer when we had some training before we went to the real national team gathering.

“I didn’t recognize him there, but I struck up a conversation with him, and we actually share an agent, so it was a lot of fun.” It was quite wonderful because we had a terrific talk throughout and after the game.

“I simply told him to continue doing what he was doing.” He is a capable striker who is difficult to oppose. He is powerful and quick.”