Sheffield United 1 Newcastle United 0 - Blades finally end wait for first win of Premier League season

Steve Bruce may have done it tough during his time at Newcastle United, but it pales into insignificance compared with what his Sheffield United counterpart and good friend Chris Wilder has put up with in 2020-21.

Here, there was a spot of glorious respite as the Blades - finally, relievingly - secured their first league victory since July 11, which seems like an eternity ago for everyone connected with the club.

After being on the receiving end of all manner of embarrassing statistics which have been churned out with regularity during a hellish campaign, the Blades are now able to savour a special one.

Billy Sharp’s 70th-minute penalty - awarded after a VAR check and an on-pitch review after visiting captain Federico Fernandez was penalised for handball after he and the Blades substitute tussled for the ball in a footrace - was the hundredth league goal for his beloved Blades.

More pertinently, it will be remembered for securing the hosts’ maiden league win of a season which has hitherto brutal.

For once, Wilder’s side got the breaks and few away from Tyneside would begrudge them of this first success in 21 league matches.

Against visitors who were reduced to ten men just before the break when Ryan Fraser saw red for a second bookable offence after a poor challenge on David McGoldrick, United would have never forgiven themselves if they had not found a way against a visiting side who had an awful night. Thankfully they did, just.

They may have been facing a side who had lost their previous five home league matches, but Newcastle elected to adopt a surprisingly conservative approach by utilizing a five-man backline. It pointed to a distinct lack of confidence.

A wall of fluorescent yellow jerseys greeted the Blades in their forward forays as the Magpies - so inept at the back on their last visit to Yorkshire at Elland Road last month - craved defensive resolution and safety first as they attempted to grind out a result just as they did at Bramall Lane last season - when they triumphed with just 27 per cent of possession.

It was not very convincing at all and a hard watch, with Callum Wilson handed precious little support in a dreadful first half from the visitors’ perspective, which was compounded moments before the interval, courtesy of Fraser.

For all the world, Newcastle looked like the side with all the issues and not the Blades.

A barometer of that was provided in the fact that the hosts registered ten goal attempts. You had to go back to November 2019 for the last time that they had reached double figures in a first half in the Premier League.

But those precious moments of clinical edge in front of goal - or the lack of them - which Wilder has referenced on about so consistently this term were again missing.

There was sheer anguish as John Lundstram - who rewound the clock to last season on the evidence of the first half - just failed to turn in McGoldrick’s cross-shot at the back post close to the break.

As close to a talisman as the Blades possess, McGoldrick was at the heart of most things good.

His instinctive first-time shot after neat inter-play with Lundstram, which was turned away sharply by Karl Darlow, set the tone, while his disappointment was palpable after heading over at the far post following Ethan Ampadu’s fine centre.

Oli Burke, rewarded for his cameo, provided a pacy outlet and was denied a clear run on goal by a fantastic challenge from Fernandez, while a fine saving block by Ben Osborn got in the way of a goalbound attempt from Isaac Hayden moments.

Newcastle - who saw a VAR call go against them after a potential handball offence was checked, had just one dangerous moment when Wilson, who otherwise fed off straps, planted a firm header wide from Hernandez’s centre.

A man light, Newcastle adopted a 4-4-1 formation on the resumption as the Blades pushed on in front of the deserted Kop.

Darlow blocked a close-range effort from Jayden Bogle, who he also denied in the first half following his rising drive, with Wilder throwing on Brewster and Sharp at early junctures in the second period.

It was attack versus defence with the Blades finally handed their moment after Fernandez was penalised for an indiscretion and Sharp did what was necessary.

The strike that now separated two desperate sides was the prelude to a frenzied finale as the Blades got edgy as they sought to hold onto their prize.

A Wilson header was fortunately straight at Aaron Ramsdale before a deflected low drive from Brewster struck the post.

Wilder couldn’t look when Newcastle had a late free-kick chance, but Jacob Murphy’s effort was straight at Ramsdale.

There was still time for Bogle to almost score a crazy own goal, but it thankfully trickled wide.

Sheffield United: Ramsdale; Basham (Brewster 51), Egan, Ampadu; Bogle, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Osborn; McGoldrick (Jagielka 90), Burke (Sharp 59). Substitutes used: Foderingham, Lowe, Bryan, Mousset.

Newcastle United: Darlow; Yedlin, (Murphy 84), Fernandez (Carroll 77), Schar, Clark, Dummett (Ritchie 74); Fraser, Hendrick, Hayden, S Longstaff; Wilson. Substitutes unused: Dubravka, M Longstaff, Joelinton, Gayle, Almiron, Anderson.

Referee: A Madley (West Yorkshire).

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