All Goals & Highlights: Sheffield United 1 – 2 Manchester United
Manchester United clinched consecutive Premier League victories for the first time this season with a somewhat unconvincing 2-1 win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
Erik ten Hag’s squad was largely subpar, and they found themselves temporarily held back by an Oli McBurnie penalty following Scott McTominay’s initial goal. However, Diogo Dalot’s remarkable long-range goal ultimately secured the win, adding to the woes of the winless Blades.
The match carried a somber undertone for Man United, as they mourned the loss of the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton, who passed away at the age of 86 on Saturday morning. A touching tribute to the 1966 World Cup was paid before the kickoff at Bramall Lane.
Charlton’s illustrious career saw him score 249 times in a Man United jersey. In contrast, Ten Hag’s team struggled to find the net in the early exchanges, with most of the action concentrated around Andre Onana’s goal.
Onana was called into action in the 24th minute, making a crucial save against Cameron Archer’s low shot. Unfortunately, he couldn’t clear the ball from the danger zone and relied on Dalot to cover for him.
Despite the early pressure, Man United managed to take the lead against the run of play in the 21st minute. This was thanks to another key contribution from McTominay, the hero of their previous game against Brentford.
McTominay kept an overhit cross in play on the left and skillfully received Bruno Fernandes’s pass, lofting the ball into the air before scuffing a volley. Wes Foderingham remained rooted to the spot as the ball trickled into the corner.
However, McTominay turned into the antagonist in his own penalty area just three minutes later when he was penalized for a handball, moving his arm towards a James McAtee cross. McBurnie capitalized on this and leveled the scores with a perfectly placed penalty, despite Onana’s attempt to save it.
The 44th minute witnessed another close call as Fernandes’s free kick hit the bar before bouncing out.
Ten Hag’s team ended the first half on a strong note but missed a golden opportunity to regain their lead in added time. Marcus Rashford’s shot reached Rasmus Hojlund, who was onside, but Foderingham managed to deny the Dutchman from close range.
During halftime, Paul Heckingbottom’s words seemed to have a positive impact on the hosts. Onana was tested with two crucial saves within the first six minutes of the second half. He managed to deflect an Oliver Norwood strike with his fingertips and swiftly changed direction to parry a long-range shot from Rhian Brewster.
Hojlund and Rashford both had their own chances during a frenetic period of end-to-end action, while Sofyan Amrabat’s long-range attempt struck the upright in the 67th minute.
Ten minutes later, it was Dalot’s turn to take a shot from a similar position, set up by fellow full-back Victor Lindelof. The Portuguese player found the mark with a magnificent curling strike that Foderingham could only palm into the top corner.
The hosts struggled to mount a late response, remaining at the bottom of the standings with just one point. In contrast, Ten Hag’s team climbed above West Ham United to secure eighth place.
Next up for Manchester United is a Champions League showdown with Copenhagen at Old Trafford on Tuesday, while Sheffield United will face Arsenal in a challenging match at the Emirates in seven days.
