Sheffield United 3 Oxford 0: Magnificent seven for Blades as visitors are outclassed - with hosts going top
CHRIS Wilder may still be seeking ‘clarity’ from the Sheffield United hierarchy surrounding his transfer plans in January, but there is a conspicuousness about the Championship table as it stands.
The Christmas decorations are not yet up and we are still in the final throes of autumn and November, yet there is wonderful consistency about the Blades’ home form in particular. Bramall Lane is a house of pain again for visiting sides, like the good old days.
A magnificent seven victories in a row now - without conceding a goal, no less since way back on August 17 represents some statement.
Ahead of Friday’s big game with Sunderland, it was a head-turning, deadly serious one. And after Tuesday night’s action, Wilder’s side find themselves looking down on everyone.
For the overwhelming majority of this game, it looked like a team chasing a seventh straight home win without conceding a goal against a side with two away points to their name this season.
The Blades outwitted and outclassed their struggling rivals and comfortably had their number.
It yielded a maiden United goal for Callum O’Hare, a fifth in six matches for Tyrese Campbell and a strike for Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
It could have been several more in truth.
Oxford, operating with a 4-5-1 formation without the ball and something which morphed into 4-2-3-1 with it, actually started well enough. It was soon undone by a poor concession from their perspective and hardly the antidote to fraying nerves, given the fact that they let in six goals three days earlier.
By contrast, it was just what the doctor ordered for the hosts.
A long throw from Jack Robinson, back in the heart of defence and wearing the captain’s armband with Anel Ahmedhodzic absent, was flicked on by Harry Souttar.
Oxford were caught napping on the right-hand side of their box and Campbell was very much alive, firing in a low centre which was dispatched from close range by O’Hare, sliding in.
It was a poacher’s effort and his first in United colours for the mercurial number ten.
At an early juncture, the game was where the Blades wanted it and a second duly arrived on 26 minutes.
Oxford coughed up the ball in midfield and the hosts were on it in a flash.
A perceptive pass from Sydie Peck found Gus Hamer in those central positions he likes and he instinctively flicked the ball around the corner to send Campbell clear and he finished with the confidence of a player who had scored in his previous two matches, including a feted one last time out at S2 on derby day.
It was turning into another stressful episode for the U’s and only a fine one-handed reaction save from Jamie Cumming, to deny Hamer, prevented their torment being compounded with the hosts’ flair players starting to toy with the visitors’ backline with the youngsters such as Femi Seriki and Peck also enjoying themselves.
More work for Cumming saw him turn away Hamer’s blockbuster with Oxford badly needing some respite and time to regroup. Wilder was not interested in pity for his old club.
On the resumption, the incentive was to grab a third and then start to think about protecting key personnel with Friday night’s juicy game at the Lane with Sunderland on the immediate horizon.
Preserving their proud defensive record on home soil was another significant consideration.
A curler early in the second half from O’Hare, a whisker wide, almost added a quick-fire third and it looked a chance of when, not if.
Rak-Sakyi really should have, firing wastefully wide after incisive work on the right by the impressive Seriki and O’Hare.
He wasn’t so charitable soon after.
An insouciant touch from Souza handed the stage to Hamer. His delicious slide-rule pass to Rak-Sakyi was worth the admission money alone and the winger rammed the ball home.
After being educated on Saturday, this was another lesson for the U’s and Cumming prevented Campbell from firing home a fourth before the busy visiting keeper made a big block to deny Seriki before Hamer’s follow-up was blocked.
At the other end, Michael Cooper was finally forced into work for the first time, tipping over a drive from substitute Matt Phillips.
He did the same, in splendid fashion, to keep out El Mizouni’s cracker late on. He had his clean sheet, again, with United’s run without conceding a goal on home soil now stretching to over 11 hours.
Sheffield United: Cooper; Seriki, Souttar, Robinson, McCallum (T Davies 88); Souza, Peck (Shackleton 77); Rak-Sakyi (Brooks 63), O’Hare, Hamer (Norrington-Davies 77); Campbell (One 63). Substitutes unused: A Davies, Gilchrist, Burrows, Marsh.
Oxford United: Cumming; ter Avest, Long, Brown, Leigh; Goodrham (Dale 74), Vaulks (McEachran 74), Brannagan, Placheta (El Mizouni 63), Rodrigues (Phillips 56); Scarlett (Harris 74). Substitutes unused: Ingram, Goodwin, Ferdinan, Thorniley.
Referee: L Doughty (Lancs).
Attendance: 25,574.