The strange thing was that none of Sheffield United’s players even tried to rattle West Ham. Paul Heckingbottom’s side were insipid beyond belief on an afternoon devoid of drama and intensity, their defensive foundations crumbling under the slightest pressure, and it said little for their hopes of staying up that they were so easily swatted aside by opponents who spent the second half protecting their legs before visiting Freiburg in the Europa League on Thursday.
West Ham were playing the game on their terms by that stage, goals from Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek inside the opening 37 minutes allowing them to save their energy for tougher assignments. If there were positives for Sheffield United, who remain bottom after earning one point from their opening seven games, it was only that they did not lose by more.
