Sunderland 1 Sheffield United 2: Manchester City youngsters lead the way as Blades show character and quality

"The Blades are going up and now you're going to believe us,” sang the away end only when a 2-1 win at Sunderland was confirmed but it was the sort of performance that promoted sides produce when their backs are against the wall, less for the quality of the football – although that was much improved – more for the character shown.

Manager Paul Heckingbottom's celebrations at the end betrayed as much.

James McAtee and Tommy Doyle both found the net – the latter with Sander Berge interfering from an offside position as the Blades came from behind to open a six-point gap in a Championship promotion race which their stuttering form has made a lot less comfortable.

When their league campaign resumes in April, the Blades will still be in an automatic promotion spot no matter what Middlesbrough do when the men from South Yorkshire are on FA Cup duty this weekend.

Luck played its part. You can never quite second-guess what a video assistant referee will give but there is a fair chance if one had been able to look at Doyle's decisive goal they would have chalked it off.

Sunderland also hit the post through Patrick Roberts – another who was loaned out by Manchester City earlier in his career.

But over the 90 minutes the Blades were worthy of their three points not only for the response to Edouard Michut's goal against the run of play but also for the verve in their football that has gone missing in recent weeks.

McAtee and Doyle have only started two Championship games together, both in the space of one October week, but were alongside Berge in an adventurous-looking midfield.

McAtee played the furthest forward but with Oliver Norwood left out of the XI for the first time in this season's Championship there was no out-and-out holding midfielder.

No matter, as the pair typified the combination of good passing and energy with which their team started on a cold Wearside night.

With Norwood one of four players dropped and rare starts for Daniel Jebbison and, at least in 2023, George Baldock, it was clear Heckingbottom meant business.

United followed his lead, McAtee seeing a shot saved inside 30 seconds.

Doyle had one blocked when a long throw fell to him and Jebbison forced a save before there were eight minutes gone.

Luke O'Nien had a shot saved at the other end, but the opening half-hour belonged to the visitors.

Berge glided past two as he went across the area before having a shot block and O'Nien did well to stop Doyle's pass picking out McAtee.

Sunderland's Trai Hume was fortunate only to see a yellow card for an impetuous foul on Jebbison by the right touchline.

If they do make it to the Premier League, the Blades will soon discover one lapse in concentration can be very costly indeed and Sunderland punished one after 30 minutes.

Jack Robinson came inside to help out after John Egan lost his man and neither central midfielder Berge nor left wing-back Max Lowe dropped into the space Michut popped into to convert Abdoullah Ba’s pass.

The setback seemed to rattle Sheffield United, who began to see too many passes cut out.

But as Heckingbottom mulled over his half-time words and the fourth official's board went up, something clicked.

On his first start since January 2, Baldock drove down the line and picked out McAtee to glide a lovely shot into the net for the equaliser.

The Blades restarted on the front foot, McAtee mishitting a shot into the ground when another Robinson long throw dropped to him, then playing a pass Iliman Ndiaye ran onto to force a good save from Anthony Patterson.

With memories of how the first half went, it needed a goal to settle the nerves and Doyle provided it in the 62nd minute.

Doyle took a free-kick from near the corner of the penalty area and it passed through without a touch.

Berge was one of three players who went too early, and tried and failed to get the final touch, leaving Patterson rooted to his line unable to commit until he knew what the Norwegian was going to do.

The linesman's flag stayed down.

It was far from pain sailing from there, Wes Foderingham forced to make a good save from ex-Leeds United youngster Jack Clarke, then seeing former Middlesbrough forward Roberts hit a post quickly afterwards.

The Blades threw on substitutes partly to eat up time but mainly to shut down the game, Norwood coming on and Doyle and McAtee amongst those who made way.

By the end, they were employing the sort of time-wasting tactics which have so frustrated Heckingbottom this season. All teams do it.

It only highlighted what a big win this was, less for the points, more for the confidence that this team can get the job done.

Sunderland: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, Batth, O'Nien (Ekwah 88); Michut (Gooch 72), Neil; Roberts, Ba (Lihadji 72), Clarke; Gelhardt (Pritchard 72). Unused substitutes: Bass, Bennette, Anderson.

Sheffield United: Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson; Baldock (Bogle 78), Doyle (Norwood 78), Berge, McAtee (Fleck 78), Lowe; Ndiaye (Sharp 90), Jebbison (McBurnie 69). Unused substitutes: Davies, Basham.

Referee: M Donohue.