Croatia
Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Man Utd4 - 2Sheff Utd

sportsmole.co.uk, 25 April 2024, 07:25
Sheffield United have set a new unwanted Premier League record after suffering a 4-2 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

Chris Wilder's men, fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table, surprisingly led twice at the Theatre of Dreams, with Jayden Bogle and Ben Brereton Diaz netting either side of half time.

After Wes Foderingham made a plethora of crucial saves in the first half, Brereton Diaz fired home his goal from close range five minutes after the interval to give the travelling Blades supporters hope of seeing their side end a nine-game winless run.

However, Harry Maguire - who scored an equaliser in the first half against his former club - won a penalty for Man United on the hour mark, and Bruno Fernandes stepped up to convert from 12 yards before contributing to another two goals in the closing stages to complete the turnaround.

Fernandes fired a stunning 25-yard strike into the top corner to put the Red Devils ahead with just nine minutes remaining, shortly before setting up Rasmus Hojlund to secure victory for the hosts, condemning the Blades to their 24th league defeat of the season.

Sheffield United make unwanted Premier League history

Sheffield United's spirited display at Old Trafford was ultimately in vain and they were made to rue more defensive errors as they cling onto their Premier League survival hopes by the finest of threads.

The Blades have now conceded four or more goals in eight Premier League games this season, more than any other team in the division.

In total, Wilder's side have shipped 92 goals across their 34 matches, the most ever conceded in a 38-game season in the competition, surpassing the previous record held by Derby County (89) in 2007-08.

With four games still remaining, Sheffield United are in contention to break the all-time Premier League goals against record held by Swindon Town, who conceded 100 goals during a 42-match campaign in 1993-94.

The Blades, who remain rooted to the foot of the table and 10 points adrift of safety, will be relegated to the Championship if they lose at Newcastle United on Saturday. Even if they were to draw or win against the Magpies, who thrashed them 8-0 in the reverse fixture, relegation will be confirmed if 17th-placed Nottingham Forest match or better their result when they host Manchester City on Sunday.

Wilder bemoans Sheffield United's defensive fragility

Asked if he can take pride from Sheffield United's performance following another defeat, Wilder said at his post-match press conference: "I'm a bit bored about saying that. There's been times when we've been exposed so we have to accept it and take responsibility.

"It's bittersweet, coming here in front of 75,000. I don't go with the narrative Man United are poor, you've got world-class players all over the park. You look at one teamsheet and the other teamsheet, that's the best team we can put out, and you expect to be under pressure and your goalkeeper to make some saves, which he did, which is great because he's a good pro.

"We scored two away from home to take the game deep, they're positives. The negatives yet again is if we make better decisions from a defensive point of view we come away with more, like we should have done with so many more points than we've got in my time here.

"That's the disappointing thing, the ball goes in the back of our net far too easily. Just as they find the big moments, there's an art to defending as well. It's both penalty areas and we yet again have been not great in terms of the goals that have gone in."

After travelling to St James' Park on Saturday, Sheffield United will conclude the season with fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.

Top News

22 December 2024 talksport.com Kylian Mbappe struck a landmark effort to put himself firmly among Real Madrid's elite. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has insisted that he is "absolutely happy" with his side's goalless draw at Everton on Sunday. 22 December 2024 talksport.com If you thought Mohamed Salah couldn't set yet another record, think again. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk For a second time in successive Gulf Cup competitions, The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait will meet in the group stage, with this upcoming game taking place on Tuesday at Jaber Al-Amad International Stadium in Kuwait City. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong is supposedly not a 'concrete target' for Liverpool amid speculation over Trent Alexander-Arnold's future. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid moved into second spot in the La Liga table courtesy of a 4-2 success over Sevilla in Sunday afternoon's contest at Bernabeu, with Los Blancos ending 2024 on a high note. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Oman and Qatar will compete in the Gulf Cup for the first time in over a decade on Tuesday at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, each seeking their first victory in this edition of the tournament. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk New Wolverhampton Wanderers' boss Vitor Pereira earned three points when his side comfortably beat Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester City 3-0 away from home on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Aaron Ramsdale was spotted wearing a modified goalkeeper glove in Southampton's Premier League clash at Fulham. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea squandered the chance to go top of the Premier League table for a couple of hours as Everton held the Blues to a goalless stalemate at Goodison Park. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Djed Spence has been named in the Tottenham Hotspur starting XI for their Premier League clash with Liverpool, while Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo get the nod up front for the visitors. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Manchester United were beaten 3-0 by Bournemouth in a defeat that saw Ruben Amorim's side achieve an unwanted record. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Gary Neville believes that Ruben Amorim will allow Marcus Rashford to leave Manchester United for the sake of 'himself and the club'. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Pep Guardiola isn't immune from the sack at Manchester City having continued their unprecedented and dismal run of form. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly earmarked Leeds United shot-stopper Illan Meslier as one of two goalkeeper targets ahead of the January transfer window. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly identified Burnley's James Trafford as their top transfer target for the January transfer window. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Paris Saint-Germain defender Nuno Mendes has reportedly indicated he will take time to consider his future before he commits to a new contract. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Eddie Howe will be nervous about holding onto star striker Alexander Isak at Newcastle as his fine goalscoring form continues. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has named his starting side for Sunday's Premier League clash with Bournemouth at Old Trafford. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Enzo Maresca has opted to use Levi Colwill as a replacement for the suspended Marc Cucurella for Sunday's Premier League game at Everton. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal broke an English football record in their 5-1 Premier League thrashing of Crystal Palace on Saturday, but it came at a significant cost, as Bukayo Saka was taken off with a suspected hamstring problem in the first half. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku is allegedly generating interest from at least five clubs. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona reportedly remain fully behind head coach Hansi Flick despite the team's latest title setback against Atletico Madrid on Saturday night. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Southampton's new head coach Ivan Juric is one not to be messed with as his physical scrap with Torino's sporting director showed. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Seeking to pick up a third straight home win in the Primeira Liga, Vitoria de Guimaraes play host to Nacional at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques on Monday. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is reportedly looking for the Red Devils to build a new scouting team in Portugal in a bid to unearth the next Cristiano Ronaldo. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick is reportedly not interested in signing Manchester United attacker Alejandro Garnacho during next summer's transfer window. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool must take advantage of Tottenham Hotspur's considerable weaknesses and will be confident of victory on Sunday according to Reds expert David Lynch. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The January transfer window is almost here and clubs around the UK and Europe are lining up moves as they look to take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Union Saint-Jean vs. Monaco (Sunday, 1.45pm) On Sunday, in a David vs. Goliath affair, Union Saint-Jean can pull off one of the biggest upsets in Coupe de France history when they take on Monaco in the round of 64 at Stadium de Toulouse.