Sheffield United 1 Norwich City 3: Patrick Bamford goal not enough as Blades suffer first defeat of season
The story of Sheffield United’s 3-1 Championship defeat to Norwich City
Sheffield United suffered the first defeat of their Championship campaign as they were beaten 3-1 on home turf by Norwich City.
Patrick Bamford cancelled out Anthony Musaba’s opener and for a period that followed, it was the Blades in the driving seat at Bramall Lane.
However, the Canaries roared back with goals from Mohamed Toure and Mathias Kvistgaarden to collect three points in South Yorkshire.
First half
The opening minutes were relatively unremarkable, as the affair got off to a scrappy start. Passes were overcooked and misplaced by both sides, with fans starved of any real quality.
There was a scare for the Blades when Toure emerged victorious from a tussle with Japhet Tanganga, but Norwich’s frontman ran the ball out of play before pulling it back across the box.
Norwich were the first to find their stride and opened the scoring after eight minutes. The ball was worked from the right to Musaba, who curled his shot in off the crossbar.
The goal bouyed the Canaries, who made a point of keeping the pressure firmly on the Blades. Ex-Sheffield United star Andre Brooks was afford three opportunities to shoot and the hosts were fortunate to see Michael Cooper save the only one that found the target.
Rhys Norrington-Davies then had to be alert to block a potentially dangerous Anis Ben Slimane across after Liam Kitching surrendered possession.
Sheffield United had seen preciously little of the ball, yet Sydie Peck managed to slip in behind the Norwich backline to test Vladan Kovacevic with a shot arrowed towards his near-post.
Liam Kitching headed home the resulting corner, although the referee blew for a foul with Kovacevic grounded inside the box.
Wind started to gather behind Sheffield United sails and Romelle Donovan was the next to work Kovacevic, making the stopper get down quickly to his left and parry a stinging shot.
The next shot sent towards Norwich’s goal put Sheffield United back on level terms, as Bamford rendered the Norwich goalkeeper helpless. Tyrese Campbell neatly took a Ben Brereton Diaz pass on his chest before playing the ball into the path of Bamford, who unleashed a left-footed shot Kovacevic could not get near.
Campbell was again the provider as Sheffield United raced away on a swift counter-attack, this time sweeping into the feet of Brereton Diaz, but the Chilean could not adjust his feet quick enough and poked wide.
The hosts continued to knock on the door as half-time approached, with Norwich momentum having dissipated.
Recent recruits combined as Choudhury delivered for Kitching, who glanced his header just over the crossbar.
The final Sheffield United opportunity of the first half fell to Campbell, as the forward wriggled his way into space inside the box before firing down the throat of Kovacevic.
Chris Wilder’s men may have been in control, yet it was Norwich who edged ahead on the stroke of half-time. An Anis Ben Slimane backheel cut through the heart of the Blades defence and was latched on to by Toure, who steadied himself before slotting past Cooper.
Second half
Sheffield United nearly made a nightmare start to the second half, as Musaba was allowed to peel away down the left in an alarming amount of space. He drilled hard and low from the left-hand side of the box and fortunately for the Blades, Cooper was equal to it.
Kalvin Phillips had been introduced to the Blades midfield at half-time, taking the place of the leggy Jairo Riedewald. He saw his name in lights as he pulled the trigger from distance but saw his shot whistle wide of the post.
Norwich managed to extend their lead shortly after the hour mark despite the best efforts of Choudhury. He made an excellent goalline block to keep a Brooks shot out, but Kvistgaarden’s follow-up crept over the line before Choudhury could hack it away.
Sheffield United were well in the game but continued to let Norwich in behind with momentary lapses of concentration. Ben Chrisene was left completely unmarked on the edge of the box and the hosts were fortunate the defender leaned back and rifled over.
There was time for Sheffield United to rally yet it was Norwich who looked closer to scoring in the latter stages. Service into Bamford and substitute Tom Cannon was minimal, while the Canaries continued to carve open opportunities at the other end.
By the time the full-time whistle blew, the memory of Sheffield United being in the contest felt like a distant one.