Former Sheffield United man Keith Gillespie insists that Rhian Brewster is not a flop at Bramall Lane, telling Football FanCast that he feels sorry for the former Liverpool youngster.

The Blades paid £23.5m to sign Brewster in the summer in a club-record deal but he has failed to score a single goal this season.

In 25 appearances in all competitions, the 21-year-old has repeatedly drawn a blank and he has completed the 90 minutes in just two games.

Gillespie played for the club between 2005 and 2009 and he does not believe that the youngster can be held wholly accountable for his own struggles.

Indeed, he has maintained that he simply isn’t being given the service that he requires, with the Blades scoring just 17 goals in 30 games, which is comfortably the lowest number of the 20 clubs in the table.

Indeed, Brewster went on loan to Swansea last season in the Championship and scored 11 goals in 22 games.

He told FFC: “You do feel sorry for him, when you come as a goalscorer, you’re paid to score goals.

“If you don’t do that, you’re deemed a flop. I wouldn’t call him a flop because Sheffield United haven’t performed this season.

“If you’re the marksman, and you’re not getting the service that maybe he was getting at Swansea, playing in the Championship, you’re not going to be scoring goals.”