Chris Wilder on Sheffield United's historic league victory

A penalty twenty minutes from time from substitute Billy Sharp - his 100th league goal for his boyhood club - saw United secure their first three points and clean sheet in just over six months since beating Chelsea 3-0 on July 11 of last year.

In the process, Wilder's side more than doubled their total of league points for the 2020-21 campaign in one night.

Wilder, whose side come into the fixture seeking to avoid a sixth successive home league reverse - something that previously happened in 1998 - said: "I was delighted with the performance and it is a big result with the length of time we have had without one (win in the league).

"Saturday might not have looked a spectacular result at Bristol Rovers (in the FA Cup), but it helped the players and certainly they took it into this game and now the key is to take it forward.

"We cannot waste it, can we.... We have been after one of these results for a long, long time.

"We have got an incredible challenge ahead of us, but it we can make it interesting and competitive, nobody is throwing the towel in. It was a performance full of desire to win a football match."

"I think it was coming. We have lost so many games by the single goal and you need to take big opportunities and we did and we kept a clean sheet as well and I was delighted for Aaron (Ramsdale).

The win was not without controversy, with Newcastle going down to ten men on the stroke of half-time after Ryan Fraser's second caution for a challenge on David McGoldrick.

There was also a lengthy delay to check VAR and an on-pitch review ahead of the Blades being awarded a spot-kick after Sharp jostled with Newcastle captain Federico Fernandez, with the visiting defender adjudged to have handled the ball.

But for once, a spot of fortune smiled on the Blades and while it will be back to business on Wednesday morning for Wilder, he admitted he will allow himself one glass of something appropriate to toast their special and relieving win at home.

Wilder, whose side are still nine points adrift of fourth-from-bottom Brighton, added: "It is a big win for us, the players and supporters. I will maybe have one glass, but we are in (on Wednesday).

"I am not being doom and gloom, but it has certainly not been an enjoyable time for anybody at the football club.

"I thought the performance was really good. I know the sending off will be talked about as making it a bit easier for us to dictate the game and the penalty, but I felt it (the win) was coming.

"We looked as if we had an identity. We had slipped a little bit and this performance was 'us', playing with the handbrake off and going for it and playing well."

Young Blades defender Rhys Norrington-Davies, 21, has joined Stoke City on loan for the rest of the season after recently returning from a spell at Luton Town.