That’s all from me. A rough old afternoon for Sheffield United if ever there was one.
I’ll leave you with the match report on a one-sided contest at Bramall Lane. Until next time!
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No food in the Sheffield United changing rooms this afternoon, please.
I fear for anyone who tries eating a sandwich in front of Chris Wilder after this
— Matthew Stanger (@MatthewStanger) February 18, 2024
Pascal Groß created 9 chances against Sheffield United today. No player has created more in a single Premier League game this season, and only Alfie Doughty, also against Sheffield United, has created as many.
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 18, 2024
Magician. 🪄 pic.twitter.com/lr17e4yqyI
The live football continues at Kenilworth Road this afternoon and Tim de Lisle will bring you all the updates from Manchester United’s tussle with Luton. Rob Edwards has just been on TV promising an “entertaining game”.
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Here’s a couple of those second half goals for your viewing:
It goes from bad to worse for Sheffield United as Jack Robinson puts the ball into his own net 😩 pic.twitter.com/NZXe1bOYV1
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 18, 2024
What a FINISH from Simon Adingra 😍💫 pic.twitter.com/mjrp5VB26X
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 18, 2024
FT: Sheffield United 0-5 Brighton
The torture is over for Sheffield United, who like their fellow strugglers Burnley suffer a 5-0 home defeat this weekend, with the pair remaining rooted to the foot of the table on 13 points from 25 games. Both look completely doomed.
Of course, the Blades’ cause today wasn’t helped by that Mason Holgate red card after 13 minutes. They were fighting an uphill task from thereon and were duly punished by free-flowing Brighton. Simon Adingra was exceptional, scoring two and proving a menace throughout.
90 mins + 3: Tom Davies is sporting a hairstyle straight out of an episode of This Is England and gets involved in some handbags with Verbruggen.
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90 mins + 2: Sheffield United lost their previous home game 5-0, to Aston Villa. The game before that they lost 5-2 at home to Brighton in the FA Cup. And of course they were thrashed 8-0 by Newcastle at Bramall Lane earlier in the season. Talk about home comforts.
Five more minutes for the Blades to endure. Have the officials no heart, man?
90 mins: Bramall Lane has emptied pretty sharpish, so that now swathes of empty red seats can be seen.
Poor old James McAtee is still battling away for his team. He’s worked really hard, albeit in a losing cause, today.
An email from Peter Messer.
“The pose adopted by Wilder and the defender is colloquially known as the ‘surrender cobra’,” he says.
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87 mins: “We want six!” is the cry from the travelling Brighton fans.
GOAL! Sheffield United 0-5 Brighton (Adingra, 85)
Instead, it’s 5-0! Will Adingra claim that one, or is it another own goal? Good running from Ansu Fati and it breaks for Adingra, whose shot pinballs in, with Ferguson failing to get a touch to claim the goal for himself.
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85 mins: It should be 4-1. Ahmedhodzic rises to glance home a header but gets it wrong. That sums it up really.
83 mins: That Sheffield United win at Luton last week is looking like an outlier, rather than a beacon of hope for the rest of the season.
Credit to Brighton today, though, they’ve been smooth and ultra-professional in dispatching their hosts. A classic Roberto De Zerbi performance.
Feels.
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 18, 2024
81 mins: Who’d be a Sheffield United sub right now? Three more of them are pushed on, possibly against their will, by Wilder.
They are Tom Davies, Rhian Brewster and Oliver Norwood. Good luck chaps.
79 mins: Adingra simply wasn’t picked up by any of the Blades defenders but you cannot fault the quality of that finish, sweeping home after another pinpoint cross from the right.
GOAL! Sheffield United 0-4 Brighton (Adingra, 78)
I suspect that third Brighton goal means there will be no adventure from Sheffield United now and certainly no grandstand finish to this game.
Nope, it’s 4-0 instead! Adingra turns home a tidy finish.
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76 mins: The anguish is written all over Chris Wilder’s face, and across the faces of the home fans – many of whom are now seeking an early exit.
GOAL! Sheffield United 0-3 Brighton (Robinson OG, 75)
There’s the long-awaited third goal for Brighton and it’s an own goal.
Once again it comes via Mitoma, crossing in from the left and Jack Robinson stretches a leg out and inadvertently put it beyond Foderingham for 3-0. Game over.
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74 mins: Every time the Blades try to venture forward, they’re so hurried by the Brighton press and so tired from defending, everything seems to break down so quickly.
73 mins: Very little is happening right now, I won’t lie to you Stace.
70 mins: I guess you have to praise the stubborn resistance on display from Sheffield United here, keeping it at 2-0, but at what stage does Chris Wilder release the shackles and try and nick something? Brighton have had nearly 90% possesion in this second half.
68 mins: Ferguson’s first touch is almost a goal with a clever header running away from goal, flicking it back on target. Foderingham saves.
67 mins: Guys, don’t leave Mitoma unmarked at the back post. He’s in acres as he tries a volley after peeling away, but gets it wrong and it’s thumped clear again.
66 mins: It’s basically walking football from Brighton at this stage. The game is in the palm of their hands.
It’s about to get more tricky for Sheffield United, as Evan Ferguson is introduced, replacing the goalscorer Buonanotte.
63 mins: Hamer and McAtee are doing their best whenever the home side get a chance to break, but the lack of a true No 9 on the field for Sheffield United is punishing them. Robinson tries a long throw, which he gets all wrong and it goes out for a goalkick.
Andre Brooks is coming on for Larouci. A slightly more attacking change.
61 mins: Mitoma keeps scheming, nips past Bogle and ends up forcing Foderingham to save onto his own post from a near-post prod, winning another corner.
60 mins: McAtee does his best to try and make something of a hit and hope from Foderingham, eventually ran out of it by the recovering Brighton defenders.
58 mins: Souza charges back to dispossess Adingra, conceding a corner which was given in error – the last touch was off a Brighton man. Gilmour strikes goalwards as it pings out of the box, but the block comes in once more.
It’s another Brighton corner as Ahmedhodzic turns behind.
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56 mins: Buonanotte goes into the book for catching Trusty. The home fans wanted a red, but that was never going to be a possibility.
55 mins: That rarest of things … a Sheffield United shot. It’s a wayward daisycutter, mind you, from Souza.
54 mins: Delightful stuff from Brighton. Quick passing, one and two touches and a classy spin in the box from Adingra, although the Ivorian cannot quite get off a clean shot to properly test Foderingham. A simple catch in the end.
52 mins: McAtee sets Larouci off to race forward from left-back but the Algerian takes far too much time trying to pick out his man and Brighton cover back.
51 mins: Mitoma is shut out as he tries to cut inside and shoot but Sheffield United’s exit routes remain limited and very simple for Brighton to thwart. It’s attack v defence in the Blades’ half at the moment.
49 mins: You wouldn’t know Kaoru Mitoma has been out injured recently. He looks razor sharp; when he’s in full flight there are few better players to watch in this league.
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47 mins: Set pieces will be Sheffield United’s stock in trade in this second half, and it’s a good start in that regard as they win an early corner, although it comes to little.
Adingra runs it out of play at the other end following a heavy touch.
Second half: We’re back under way at an uncharacteristically flat Bramall Lane. There’s not much in the way of belief flying around this place.
Igor Julio and Jakub Moder are coming on for Brighton at half-time, Lamptey and Webster replaced.
Call me bold or over-ambitious, but I think Chris Wilder should introduce either Oli McBurnie or Rhian Brewster at the break. The 5-4-0 just isn’g going to trouble Brighton, as much as there was (a little) sense in bringing on Trusty to shore up the defence.
A 5-3-1 or 4-4-1 might at least offer the Blades some cutting edge on the counterattack. This game will quickly elude them, otherwise.
Boos greeted the half-time whistle, presumably aimed at referee Attwell and VAR. However much you dislike the technology, it’s done its job in this match so far.
⏱️ Half-time: Sheff Utd 0-2 Brighton
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 18, 2024
Roberto De Zerbi's men in control so far at Bramall Lane 👊 #SHUBHA pic.twitter.com/emFGYbUfOw
HT: Sheffield United 0-2 Brighton
It’s not been the most high-octane game we’ll see in this Premier League season – nor one packed with that much quality – but there’s been no shortage of drama, with VAR called upon numerous times, firstly for that clear Mason Holgate red card and then for a possible Sheffield United goal that would have made things interesting.
In between, it’s been near complete Brighton dominance with goals from Buonanotte and Welbeck putting the 11 men in total control against the floundering 10 men of Sheffield United. The 2-0 scoreline is fair, but the Blades are fighting hard.
45 mins + 6: A looping header from Dunk lands on the top of the crossbar, via a good palm from Foderingham. Dunk then has a swing at the next corner, but it’s blocked.
Sheffield United are hanging on for just the two-goal deficit before half-time.
45 mins + 5: After that brief soap opera, it’s now back to the norm: Brighton pressure. Pass, pass, pass.
We’re now (well) into seven minutes of first half added time, by the way.
45 mins + 1: It seems VAR was checking for a foul, rather than a handball, as Stuart Attwell is encouraged to look to his monitor. Osborn couldn’t be given offside from the final touch, as it came off Brighton player to deflect his way.
But he is flagged offside for his positioning from the initial header by Souza. No goal it is and Sheffield United’s rotten luck this afternoon goes on.
Updated
VAR check on this … naturally. I don’t see a handball here, I won’t lie to you.
44 mins: A rare foray forward from the home side brings about a corner, with McAtee ploughing a lone furrow to buy the challenge from Van Hecke and win his team that set piece. It’s turned home by Osborn – but the referee blows up for a handball. No goal!
42 mins: Welbeck mistimes his header after latching onto another accurate cross from Lamptey. Sheffield United’s heads are spinning now, such is the amount of defending they’re doing.
40 mins: Adingra blasts a powerful volley over the bar as the angle tightened. He made that chance with a clever touch for himself.
Some context on the booing of Mitoma from Blades’ fan Michael Guest:
I’m sat in the Kop, Mitoma is being booed for his outrageous dive (or so it seemed from here) just before the second goal, rather than the red card incident.
Fair enough, Michael, although I think it could have been a penalty.
38 mins: On the pitch, it’s wave after wave of Brighton pressure, although they’re now hitting a red and white wall when they get to the 18-yard line, in fairness to Sheffield United.
More chip butty chat, as Tom Stratford emails in:
Hey Dom, How much do you think Guardian MBM readers can crowdfund over half-time to try and successfully incentivise Mason Holgate to have his early bath, come back out, and then sit on the bench for the second half casually chewing on a chip butty?
No, probably couldn’t pay me enough either …
Chris Wilder would spontaneously combust, given his dislike of sarnie-eaters.
35 mins: Mitoma is getting booed by the majority inside Bramall Lane. Someone please show them the replay of Holgate’s red card …
34 mins: Sheffield United cannot escape. There’s not even any plans to escape. It’s more like bunkering down and hoping for minimal damage right now. Yet Brighton look in no mood to go easy on their hosts today.
An email from Rick Harris, who saw this Seagulls’ onslaught coming when I mentioned Sheffield United’s pre-match song:
Anyone who has ever been daft enough to sit on a seafront bench at Brighton with a greasy chip butty will know that you get bombed by seagulls, so expect Sheffield carnage!
31 mins: Souza steams into Gilmour on the edge of the Blades’ box and Brighton want further punishments for the hosts’ players. Nothing doing this time: firm but fair from the Brazilian.
Auston Trusty has replaced Osula for the home side, yes a central defender for the sole striker. A 5-4-0 formation now?
28 mins: Mitoma is having a day out, running at Bogle, slaloming this way and then that, and Brighton nearly have a third. It’s pinball in the box and hacked clear.
Then Brighton went one, two.
"It was a bit of a defensive mess for Sheffield United" 🫣
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 18, 2024
Facundo Buonanotte gives Brighton the lead 🔹 pic.twitter.com/RZYHVKLnIP
Danny Welbeck makes it two! 💥
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 18, 2024
The Seagulls are flying in Sheffield! 🕊 pic.twitter.com/P87kGULxzl
This is the reason Sheffield United are being cut open so easily. Dreadful from Holgate, really.
Mason Holgate is sent off for Sheffield United after just 10 minutes of play at Bramall Lane 🟥 pic.twitter.com/DO31aRgvEG
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 18, 2024
26 mins: Sheffield United were trying to be brave after the concession of the goal, but they left far too much space at the back for Mitoma to ghost into. He was found, slid in the shot, then Welbeck picked up the pieces after Foderingham’s parry.
Tell you what, Brighton could have had a penalty before the goal too. McAtee with a fairly blatant push on Mitoma.
GOAL! Sheffield United 0-2 Brighton (Welbeck, 25)
Too easy, two nil! Danny Welbeck follows in after Foderingham can only palm Mitoma’s shot into the striker’s path.
Is this all over already?
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23 mins: It’s nearly an instant equaliser for the home side after a brilliant run from Hamer, dropping the shoulder and sitting a couple of defenders down. Verbruggen then catches easily from the resulting corner.
22 mins: Dunk nodded it back across goal and it was all a bit of a mess in the six-yard box as Buonanotte stopped to head in – and it did cross the goalline via a deflection or two.
GOAL! Sheffield United 0-1 Brighton (Buonanotte, 21)
There’s some confusion over whether it crossed the line, but it’s gone in from the corner! Buonanotte seemed to get the final touch.
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20 mins: Dunk and Webster are able to step into midfield, and the former whips it in from the left and it’s been missed by both Welbeck and Buonanotte at the back post. It somehow goes out for a corner.
18 mins: It’s actually been Adingra, rather than Gross, who has been pulling out to the right wing-back position and the Ivorian has been putting in a number of teasing crosses from that side.
Sheffield United defend them well this time.
15 mins: We’ve got a delay now, as Wes Foderingham goes down clutching his foot. It’s a chance for Wilder to gather his players in around the dugout area, presumably to lay out a new set of tactical instructions.
14 mins: Chris Wilder was absolutely fuming with Holgate as the on-loan Everton defender trudged off the pitch.
Sheffield United’s task just got a whole lot more difficult.
RED CARD! Holgate (Sheffield United)
Holgate missed the ball completely and was very, very high with his contact on Mitoma.
A quick look at the monitor is enough to persuade Stuart Attwell to brandish the red card.
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11 mins: Brighton are keen to slow the tempo down, composing themselves after a frenetic start from both teams.
Mitoma is on the receiving end of a hefty Holgate challenge, with both sets of players surrounding the referee, Brighton wanting a red, Sheffield United claiming Holgate won the ball. VAR is looking …
9 mins: Buonanotte goes down after a naughty late one from Osborn, but he looks to be fine to continue.
7 mins: Foderingham sprawls and just about stops an own goal from Ahmedhodzic as Welbeck lurks to get onto Adingra’s cross from the right. It’s just as well that Ahmedhodzic did stretch out his leg, even if he was periloulsy close to finding his own net.
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6 mins: It’s Lamptey at left wing-back and Gross on the right so far for Brighton. It’s been a bit scrappy as Webster times a good challenge on the edge of his own box.
4 mins: Brighton’s blend of black, white and fluorescent green makes their away kit a bit of an eyesore. They’ve established some control of possesion now.
2 mins: Not a bad start for Sheffield United as Jayden Bogle smashes one goalwards and forces a save from Verbruggen.
No Cameron Archer or Ben Brereton Díaz for Sheffield United will make things difficult for the hosts, you’d imagine. But this is positive.
KICK OFF
Let’s go!
Here come the players out of the tunnel and we’ll get a loud rendition of that superb Sheffield United pre-match song, Greasy Chip Butty. Always excellent.
"He's an important player" 🙌
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 18, 2024
Roberto De Zerbi says he's happy for Simon Adingra following his AFCON victory with Ivory Coast 🏆 pic.twitter.com/LOONoZ9qoC
Tom Lockyer is looking well and is a guest pundit on Sky Sports this afternoon, ahead of Luton v Manchester United later. He watched Sheffield United pick apart the Hatters last weekend – to everyone’s surprise – and credits the Blades with keeping Ross Barkley very quiet in midfield. I wonder if Wilder has a similar hatchet plan for one or two Brighton players today. If they can shackle Mitoma, for example, they’ll have a chance. But then you have to keep tabs on Gilmour, and Gross, and Adingra …
This guy is one of the most underrated players in the Premier League, honestly.
Catch Simon Adingra if you can 💨 pic.twitter.com/Tpx3JYErjn
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 18, 2024
What price a Sheffield United win today, then? I’m a little surprised Brighton aren’t even bigger favourites according to the bookmakers, but there you go. Here are the odds via OLBG:
Sheffield United 18/5
Draw 16/5
Brighton 4/6
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Brighton’s women are currently in action, facing Liverpool in the WSL, with the visitors just going ahead through Ceri Holland. Follow it here if you fancy:
Team news analysis: It could well be that both sides are plumping for five (or three) at the back – depending on whether Pascal Gross plays as a wing-back for Brighton or not. It must be said, that Seagulls’ squad looks very strong on paper, with Fati, Evan Ferguson and Pervis Estupiñán all on the bench.
Sheffield United’s injury toll shows in the strength of their side, with the untested young striker Will Osula leading their line, although he has scored three goals in the FA Cup this season, while McBurnie is at least deemed fit enough for the bench.
Team news
Sheffield United: Foderingham, Bogle, Robinson, Ahmedhodzic, Holgate, Larouci, Osborn, McAtee, Hamer, Souza, Osula
Subs: Grbic, Trusty, Norwood, Davies, Arblaster, Brooks, Blacker, Brewster, McBurnie
Brighton: Verbruggen, Lamptey, Webster, Dunk, Van Hecke, Gilmour, Gross, Adingra, Mitoma, Buonanotte, Welbeck
Subs: Steele, Julio, Moder, Veltman, Estupiñán, Baleba, Fati, Ferguson, Baker-Boaitey
Updated
Preamble
Right, Sheffield United, if you’re to stand any chance of an unlikely escape from relegation, you probably need to win today. Against oft-lauded (but often inconsistent) Brighton, the Blades’ chances may be slim, but the Chris Wilder impact is definitely taking effect – to some extent. United have collected eight points from Wilder’s 10 league games in charge so far, an improvement from the five points they managed in 14 matches under Paul Heckingbottom.
The Bramall Lane factor could be a boost for the Blades this afternoon, as should their performance last time out, winning 3-1 at Luton in impressive fashion. Official team news will land shortly, but Ben Brereton Díaz could well miss out through injury, which is a blow considering the form he’s shown since signing on loan in January. For Brighton, Simon Adingra is back fresh from winning Afcon with Ivory Coast while Ansu Fati and Kaoru Mitoma could both return to the matchday, too. João Pedro is among those out for the visitors.
Kick off is at 2pm GMT – stick with us through the afternoon for the latest.
