Sheffield United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 3: Blades roll out the back catalogue as gulf in class shows one last time

Tottenham Hotspur were fitting final opponents – too flakey and fragile to be bracketed in the Premier League elite but far, far better than the Blades. Three-nil better.

The gaps in the Shoreham End in particular told a story – this has been a season everyone of a Blades persuasion will be glad to see the back of. You could not blame those who did not have the heart to put themselves through it one last time.

Plenty headed for the exits as soon as the final whistle blew, not in the mood for a "lap of appreciation". After seasons like this, "honour" just sounds sarcastic.

The Kop, though, gave the players a good send-off. Whatever else has failed them, the heartbeat of this famous old club is still going.

Sad though it is to say after the service they have rendered, time has moved on on Chris Basham, George Baldock and Oliver Norwood, given their dues before kick off.

Others will leave too, and need to.

Vinicus Souza was booed when he came on as a substitute, Cameron Archer as he came off in the second half. His return to Aston Villa was pre-agreed if the Blades were relegated, effectively turning his "permanent" deal into a loan plus.

But on his final outing for the Blades Wes Foderingham highlighted why his departure is a great sadness. Finding a Championship-quality goalkeeper will have to be high on manager Chris Wilder's to do list.

Signed to back up Aaron Ramsdale in his first season, forced to fight off Michael Verrips and Robin Olsen in his second, Foderingham was firmly established as No 1 when this depressing season kicked off.

The punishment he took in the latter days of Paul Heckingbottom and the early ones of Wilder's second spell saw the Blades dip into the kitty to buy Ivo Grbic – a signing that without spelling it out directly, Wilder admits was a bad one.

So "League One Wes" is back, and in his last game for the club, he showed them what they will be missing after he declined a new contract before Christmas.

Were it not for Foderingham, this could have been a pasting the like of which Bramall Lane got depressingly used to at the start of 2024.

But when the Blades get it right at one end, it only highlights how short they are at the other.

Before Dejan Kulusevski’s first goal, the hosts had the best chances.

Ben Osborn's tenacity released Ben Brereton Diaz in the third minute, but the Chile international could not keep his shot down. Osborn injured himself in the process.

Leaving Souza on the bench was a statement – Grbic did not make the squad – and he was booed on.

In fairness, Souza played a beautiful pass to switch the play to Gustavo Hamer for the cross Brereton Diaz volleyed against a post in the 10th minute. Had it gone in, the VAR would surely have seen the offside the linesman did not.

A great turn and pass by Oliver Arblaster released Cameron Archer, only for his touch to let him down.

If you do not take your chances against a team of Spurs' quality, they will.

Micky van de Ven tackled Jayden Bogle, who found James Maddison, then Son and Kulusevski, to ping a pinpoint shot in off a post.

Rodrigo Bentancur nearly repeated it in the 28th minute, his shoot bouncing off just in front of the line.

Other than that it was Spurs against Foderingham, who saved low when Kulusevski ran onto a Maddison pass, and from Pedro Porro. His best save saw him fling himself across goal to deny Maddison.

Jack Robinson also blocked from Kulusevski, playing as a "false nine" in front of No 10 Maddison.

Foderingham even played his side's best pass, releasing Hamer on for Archer's shot to be deflected.

Another in the second half released Rhian Brewster, only for the substitute to half-volley wide.

Foderingham was defiant again on the hour, but it was all in vain.

First Oliver Arblaster threw himself in front of a Maddison shot, then when Souza cleared into the shins of van de Ven, Foderingham did well to keep it out. There was nothing he could do to stop Porro.

And five minutes later, Son, who inbetween failed to beat Foderingham from a tight angle, released Maddsion down the left with a beautiful outside-of-the-boot pass. He squared for Kulisevski to score.

Given Son's brilliance, and the compassion he and Maddison showed by sprinting over to the Kop during a first-half medical emergency, it was sad to see him booed off but the pathetic way he fell to the ground trying to get Brooks sent off deserved it. Madley fell for it at first, but at least recognised his mistake on reflection.

"We’ll see you in two years,” Gary Sinclair told the Spurs fans over the tannoy at full-time. The rebuild might take longer than that.

Sheffield United: Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Trusty, Robinson; Bogle, Hamer, Arblaster (Brooks 61), Osborn (Souza 5), Lowe; Brereton Diaz, Archer (Brewster 61).Unused substitutes: Davies, McBurnie, Larouci, McAtee, Holgate, Jebbison.

Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario; Porro (Emerson 75), Romero, Dragușin, van de Ven; Sarr, Bentancur (Skipp 75); Johnson, Maddison (Moore 87), Son (Scarlett 87); Kulusevski.Unused substitutes: Hojbjerg, Gil, Austin, Whiteman, Donley.

Referee: A Madley (Huddersfield).