Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Sheffield United, Everton pick up first points in entertaining draw

sportsmole.co.uk, 2 September 2023, 13:38
Sheffield United and Everton played out a highly-entertaining 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane on Saturday lunchtime, with both teams earning their first point apiece of the 2023-24 Premier League season.

Cameron Archer scored on his league debut for the club to cancel out Abdoulaye Doucoure's first-half effort, before Jordan Pickford's own goal gave the hosts the lead at half time.

However, Arnaut Danjuma scored for the second successive game to earn a point for the Toffees and ensure that both teams got off the mark at the fourth time of asking.

Sheff Utd started the match with their tails up after pushing the reigning champions Manchester City close last weekend, but it was the visitors who struck first after 14 minutes when Doucoure bundled the ball home from a corner, which had been won after Beto's effort from the edge of the area deflected wide.

Amadou Onana climbed highest to make first contact from James Garner's out-swinging corner, with the ball landing in the direction of Doucoure, who prodded straight at Wes Foderingham. However, Sheff Utd's goalkeeper could only divert the ball back into the path of Doucoure, who tapped into an empty net to send the away fans into bedlam.

The hosts' heads did not drop, though, with a nice switch of play from Oliver Norwood helping create space for George Baldock and Gustavo Hamer to combine, but the former Coventry City midfielder's strike was pushed wide by Pickford.

However, England's first-choice goalkeeper could do nothing to prevent the Blades from getting themselves on level terms when Archer - making his Premier League debut for the club following his £18m move from Aston Villa - expertly fired into the corner from 12 yards after 33 minutes. Archer's strike partner Oliver McBurnie had brilliantly controlled the ball from Baldock's cross, before laying it nicely into his teammate's path.

Archer was hugely involved in helping his new side head into the half-time interval with a one-goal cushion as he cut inside from the left before firing an effort against the post, with the ball rebounding off Pickford's back before nestling into the back of the net.

As expected, with the onus on them to find an equaliser, Everton played with more initiative after the break, with the lively Danjuma firing into the wall from a free kick after forcing Anel Ahmedhodzic to take a yellow card by bringing him down.

The Netherlands international had regularly found himself in plenty of time and space down the left flank throughout the first half, but his end product had been lacking until firing the visitors level in the 53rd minute.

Nathan Patterson's fine cross from the right flank found him at the back post, and he did not disappoint by meeting the ball on the half-volley to bring Everton level.

With both sides cancelling each other out for large spells thereafter, McBurnie almost snatched all three points in the last minute of injury-time, but Pickford's sharp reactions were on full display to deny the towering target man twice.

Both teams will be relieved to get themselves off the mark in terms of points heading into the international break, with the respective managers likely to be buoyed by the attacking vibrancy on display from both sets of players.

Top News

3 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The transfer window is open! Clubs around the UK and Europe have one final chance to strengthen their squads for the second half of the season. 3 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Caykur Rizespor vs. Besiktas (Friday, 5.00pm) Besiktas square off against Caykur Rizespor on Friday evening looking for the win that would move the club into fourth place in the Super Lig table. 3 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Pontevedra vs. Mallorca (Friday, 6.00pm) Mallorca will be aiming to book their spot in the last-16 stage of the Copa del Rey when they tackle Pontevedra CF on Friday evening. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly joined the race to sign AC Milan defender and ex-Chelsea man Fikayo Tomori as Ange Postecoglou seeks solutions to his side's defensive crisis. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Having endured a rough end to 2024, Moreirense and AVS will both be hopeful of improved fortunes in the new year as they kick off 2025 with a meeting at Parque de Jogos Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas on Saturday. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are supposedly giving consideration to an audacious swap deal involving wantaway striker Marcus Rashford and Napoli frontman Victor Osimhen. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has reportedly made two demands of the Reds if he is to snub Real Madrid and sign a new deal at Anfield. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Lyon and Montpellier HSC lock horns for the 60th time in Ligue 1 on Saturday, with the hosts seeking a 30th win against their upcoming opponents. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Preston North End are set to welcome Oxford United on Saturday to Deepdale in their 26th Championship game of the season. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford manager Thomas Frank remains without three of his first-choice central defenders ahead of their trip to Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica and Braga are in action for the first time in the new year when they go head to head at the Estadio da Luz in round 17 of the Primeira Liga on Saturday. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk If Fulham are to lose Andreas Pereira either this month or in the summer transfer window amid links with Marseille, the Cottagers could take a quick look across the English capital for a natural replacement for the Brazilian. 2 January 2025 talksport.com Real Madrid Carlo Ancelotti has kept his cards close to his chest regarding the club's pursuit of Liverpool ace Trent Alexander-Arnold. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The only team yet to taste defeat in the Turkish Super Lig, Galatasaray, will welcome one of the season's surprise packages, Goztepe SK, to Rams Park on Saturday in what promises to be an intriguing encounter. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Two sides at opposite ends of the Turkish Super Lig table will go head-to-head when Samsunspor welcome Trabzonspor to the Samsun 19 May Stadium on Saturday. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid will be aiming to move to the top of the La Liga table when they head to Valencia on Friday night. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee has reportedly fallen out with Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim, with the Dutchman moving closer to the exit door at Old Trafford. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has addressed suggestions that his club could make a second offer for Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold before the end of the January transfer window. 2 January 2025 talksport.com Ashley Cole has opened up about the painful circumstances surrounding his controversial departure from Arsenal in 2006. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Enzo Maresca is set to recall the five players who dropped out of his Chelsea side at Ipswich Town last week when they travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Saturday in the Premier League. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi will return to face his former club Chelsea when the two lock horns at Selhurst Park in the Premier League on Saturday. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has reportedly rejected three offers worth in the region of £35m a year to leave Old Trafford. 2 January 2025 talksport.com A cheeky grin from Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhaes was all it took to rub further salt into Tottenham's gaping wounds. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Wojciech Szczesny is in line to make his debut for Barcelona in Saturday's Copa del Rey last-32 clash with Barbastro. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany feels that Phil Foden is at risk of being benched by Pep Guardiola for Saturday's Premier League clash with West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona will be bidding to avoid what would be one of the biggest shocks in the history of the Copa del Rey when they take on fourth-tier outfit Barbastro in the last-32 stage of the 2024-25 tournament on Saturday evening. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has suggested that "the penny might have finally dropped" for Pep Guardiola regarding his use of James McAtee as a first-team player. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min should continue his career in North London despite entering the last six months of his contract, ex-Spurs goalkeeper Kasey Keller has told Sports Mole. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Adana Demirspor will aim to carry forward the momentum from the end of last year as they host Istanbul Basaksehir at the New Adana Stadium on Saturday in a Round 18 Turkish Super Lig fixture. 2 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea will look to improve on an awful end to 2024 when they travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace in their first Premier League game of the new year on Saturday.