That’s your lot, then. Jamie Jackson was at Bramall Lane to watch that one unfold. Here’s his verdict. Thanks for reading this MBM!
Here’s Frank Lampard, and he’s not happy. “They were better than us. Physically; in the mind; with the ball. So we lose the game. They were stronger than us. All I could hear were Sheffield United voices. They’re good players, a good team, so if you come here and perform below par, it’s gonna happen. We were too slow with the ball. It’s disappointing. I’ve got to be careful to over-analyse this one, we’ve got to put that to bed, and fight for the top four. But I learned a lot and won’t forget that. I’m concerned about how we performed.”
The two-goal hero David McGoldrick talks to Sky. “I told the lads not to worry, that when a goal comes I’ll probably get two! I had a couple of chances today and managed to put them away, my first Premier League goals at 32. It means the world. I made my debut at 16 ... and here I am today living my dream!” He’s then asked whether the Blades will make Europe, and straight-bats the question, explaining that he’d get a “bollocking” from Chris Wilder if he says anything on the subject. Back in the studio, Micah Richards, who has form in this regard, is pictured in a state of high amusement. Lovely scenes.
That’s a huge result in the scramble for European places. Sheffield United move up to sixth, just four points behind fifth-placed Manchester United. If only the goal-line technology had been working at Villa Park, huh. Chelsea meanwhile stay in third, but Leicester and Manchester United can both overtake them by winning their games in hand against Bournemouth and Southampton respectively.
FULL TIME: Sheffield United 3-0 Chelsea
United deservedly win big. They were magnificent, David McGoldrick finally breaking his Premier League duck with a brace. Chelsea weren’t at the races at all. While Chris Wilder takes to the field all smiles, his opposite number Frank Lampard disappears down the tunnel.
90 min +2: Some head tennis in the United box leads to the square root of nowt. Meanwhile here’s a howl of anguish from Benjamin Park: “As much as you can say that Lampard needs to organise this defence better, the individual performances have been atrocious. I understand that maybe Reece James you give a pass because he’s young and new to the Premier League, and that’s a big MAYBE. The rest though, it’s not like they’re fresh-faced kids off the playground. If I was them, I’d be embarrassed.”
90 min +1: In the first of three extra minutes, Stevens rakes a shot over the Chelsea bar from a tight angle on the right. This could quite easily have been a four or five-goal thrashing.
90 min: Alonso, wide on the left, finds Azpilicueta coming in from the right. Chelsea’s captain connects, but only sends the ball softly into Henderson’s arms.
89 min: The game fizzles out. United have done their job. Chelsea - for the first time since the restart, having made a contribution in the five-goal thriller at West Ham - have been a complete non-event.
87 min: Jorginho slide-rules a pass down the inside-right channel, but Abraham is quickly surrounded before he can turn and shoot. The old warhorse Jagielka, the Premier League’s most senior outfield player this season, was one of the men on point there.
86 min: Willian slips Hudson-Odoi into some space on the right. Hudson-Odoi lands a cross on Abraham’s head, but the striker mistimes his header and it’s an easy gather for Henderson. It’s just not Chelsea’s day.
84 min: United play keep-ball. Chelsea are chasing shadows.
82 min: It should be four. McGoldrick sends Mousset clear down the middle, Chelsea’s defence having gone on summer holiday. He draws Kepa and dinks him, but the ball drifts wide left. Very poor, with the goal gaping. Perhaps a little credit should go to Zouma, the only Chelsea defender to make his way back and put a little pressure on Mousset’s shoulder.
80 min: The proper half-time break, that is, not this drinks nonsense.
79 min: Giroud flashes a header straight at Henderson. It’s Chelsea’s first attempt on goal since the break.
78 min: Turns out James hadn’t made way for Hudson-Odoi. In fact it’s Barkley who only takes his leave now. Very strange.
GOAL! Sheffield United 3-0 Chelsea (McGoldrick 77)
Like London buses, it’s another Premier League goal for McGoldrick. He rolls a pass down the right for Mousset, who fires into the centre. The ball slaps into Rudiger, teeing up McGoldrick, who can’t miss from ten yards and slams home.
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76 min: Willian floats it in. There’s no pace on the free kick, and Abraham can’t generate enough power with his header, rising from a packed area to waft a header well wide left.
75 min: Alonso dribbles down the left touchline and earns a fairly cheap free kick simply by falling over. A generous one. Before Willian can take it, with the box loaded, James is replaced by Hudson-Odoi.
73 min: Willian sends the corner in from the left. Rudiger flicks on. Abraham, at the far post, can’t contort his body to acrobatically steer home from a tight angle. Goal kick. That sequence is the nearest Chelsea have come in a while.
72 min: Azpilicueta drives down the right and looks for Giroud with a looping cross. Too long. But Chelsea recycle the ball, and Azpilicueta is teed up by Barkley. He has a crack towards the bottom left. It’s hit with feeling, but deflected out for a corner.
70 min: United win a corner out on the right. A game of head tennis follows. Then Baldock finds some space on the other flank. He fires low and hard towards the near post, where Kepa claims under pressure from the lurking Mousset.
69 min: And so the game restarts. The first action of the fourth quarter sees Giroud nearly get on the end of another long ball. Chelsea have clearly decided to go direct now, having tried pretty much everything else.
68 min: It’s the veteran Jagiekla who comes on for Basham.
67 min: It turns out that Basham can’t continue. He troops off down the tunnel, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes. Not sure who’s coming on in his stead, because everyone’s stopped for drinks. Magnet all round!
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66 min: That’s Pulisic’s last act of the evening. He’s hooked in favour of Giroud, who immediately takes a first-time lash at a long ball dropping over his shoulder. But there’s to be no Jamie Vardy style finish. Well wide, though full marks for ambition.
65 min: Barkley nearly works space to shoot from the edge of the United box, then lays off to Pulisic to his right. Pulisic is able to get a shot away, but it’s blocked the nanosecond it leaves his boot.
64 min: O’Connell, Norwood and Lundstram nearly open up Chelsea with some crisp passing down the inside-left channel. The visitors finally clear, though they take their own sweet time in doing so. They don’t look assured at the back at all.
63 min: ... and McBurnie with Mousset. Basham is good to continue.
62 min: That free kick smacked Basham in the mush, so the physio is doing the follow-my-finger thing. While that goes on, United replace Berge with Lundstram ...
60 min: Chelsea are applying a bit of pressure now, though. Barkley is needlessly barged over by Berge, 25 yards out, and this is a free kick just to the left of centre. Barkley tries to deliver the set piece towards the left-hand side of the goal, but witlessly blooters it into the wall.
59 min: James deep on the right, curls towards Abraham, who clumsily heads out for a goal kick, miles to the right of the target. For some reason, Chelsea are awarded a free kick. Those addicted to mild controversy will be sorry to hear Chelsea do nothing with their gift.
57 min: Pulisic takes the ball off a snoozing O’Connell out on the Chelsea right, then wins a corner. Willian takes. A complete waste. But that’s the first time Chelsea have hassled United’s back line into a mistake.
55 min: Alonso one-twos with Willian down the left and cuts a ball back into the mixer. It’s whacked clear by Baldock. Henderson, that one lucky parry from James apart, has had very little to do this evening.
53 min: Chelsea deal with the corner easily enough, something that we haven’t been able to say too often this season. But then O’Connell comes at them from the left flank, nearly working space for a shot. Not quite. United continue to be the more impressive of the two teams, despite Chelsea’s tactical rethink.
52 min: Pulisic has been quiet since his early flurry of activity. He tries to dribble his way down the left but the door is slammed shut pretty quickly. United counter through Basham down the right. He curls low and hard towards Osborn, but Zouma hacks out for a corner.
50 min: James whips one in from the right. The deep cross is met by Alonso, coming in from the other flank. He heads harmlessly wide left from ten yards. Still, that’s a little better from Chelsea, who offered very little in attack during the first half.
49 min: McGoldrick rolls a ball down the right for McBurnie to chase. Rudiger smoothly drifts across to cover and snuff out the danger.
47 min: Basham channels his inner Garrincha and breezes down the inside-right channel. He nearly works space to shoot in the box, but it’s nose-bleed territory and he’s crowded out while thinking about it. He should probably have laid off to Berge, nearby in space.
Chelsea get the ball rolling for the second half, having made two changes. Rudiger and Alonso come on for Mount and the injured/hapless Christensen. Chelsea have gone to a back three, with Azpilicueta joining Zouma and Rudiger in the centre. Alonso and James are the wing-backs.
Half-time entertainment. Remembering the time Dundee United nearly won the European Cup.
HALF TIME: Sheffield United 2-0 Chelsea
The hosts are in total control, their European dream still very much alive. Chelsea have had their grip on third place severely loosened. A big second half coming up for both teams.
45 min: There will be two added minutes before the teams can get their half-time chip butties and pinch of snuff.
43 min: Seconds after snuffing out a move that would have established a three-goal lead for the hosts, Chelsea nearly reduce United’s advantage to one. James sends a vicious low diagonal swerver towards the bottom left. Henderson parries well, and the rebound somehow evades Abraham, the nearest player. United get away with something Chelsea earlier did not. It’s a thin line between success and failure sometimes.
42 min: Chelsea press forward but lose the ball. Suddenly they’re backtracking in a panic as United flood forward. Stevens tries to release McGoldrick with a raking ball down the middle, but credit where it’s due, Christensen holds the striker off and heads away from danger. Calm defending from the last man. Chelsea can’t afford to ship another before the break.
40 min: Chelsea are attempting to impose themselves on the game, but for all the possession, it’s fairly sterile stuff in the middle of the park.
38 min: Pulisic dances in from the left flank but his floated cross is nowhere near Abraham in the centre. The frustration of the men in blue is palpable.
36 min: Abraham tears after a long ball, but last-man Egan isn’t giving ground. Pulisic arrives hoping to help, but so does Basham. United team up to snuff out the danger and clear. The home side have been characteristically impressive so far.
35 min: Christensen is bullied off the ball by McBurnie as he tries to clear from a tight spot near the left-hand corner flag. Nothing comes from this particular press, but it does illustrate the lightweight nature of the Chelsea back line. It’s a big problem for Frank Lampard, he of furrowed brow in the dugout.
34 min: BREAKING NEWS. Chelsea’s defence is all over the shop.
GOAL! Sheffield United 2-0 Chelsea (McBurnie 33)
This is a simple but lovely goal! Stevens and Osborn execute a crisp one-two down the left. Willian doesn’t track Stevens, who has time to whip a cross to the near post. Zouma and Christensen make no challenge whatsoever, allowing McBurnie to plant a header in the bottom right! Kepa had no chance!
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31 min: United plump up some cushions.
29 min: Chelsea continue to hog possession. But ... and this depends on how you look at it - they’re either being very patient or huffing and puffing a bit. United seem comfortable.
27 min: Mount swings a ball in from the left. It’s too high for Abraham, who hasn’t had a sniff yet.
26 min: The game restarts. Chelsea stroke it around in the middle of the park, but go nowhere. At least they’re rehydrated.
24 min: And that’s drinks!
22 min: Champions League chasing Chelsea have a slight problem here. United have scored the opening goal in 14 Premier League matches this season. They’ve gone on to win 11 of those games. The other three were drawn.
20 min: That’s the first Premier League goal of McGodrick’s career. It’s taken him 26 appearances in the top flight.
GOAL! Sheffield United 1-0 Chelsea (McGoldrick 18)
Baldock clips a ball from the right towards McBurnie, just inside the box on the left. McBurnie shapes and slams a volley goalwards. It’s intended to head towards the bottom right, but the ball caroms off Barkley and heads towards the bottom left. Kepa sticks out a brilliant instinctive hand to parry, but his good work is for nought, and McGoldrick is on hand to belt home from a couple of yards.
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17 min: United spend a bit of time in the Chelsea half, Berge causing a few problems down the right. Then McBurnie has a look down the left. Chelsea half clear. Then ...
15 min: Willian has his first sniff of possession, gliding down the right, but his cross is Azpilicuetan. Goal kick.
14 min: Pulisic scampers down the left again and slips a pass towards Azpilicueta on the touchline. The Chelsea captain shanks a dismal cross into the stand behind the goal. This game hasn’t quite taken off yet, though Chelsea will be the happier of the two teams, enjoying as they are the lion’s share of possession.
12 min: Christensen is moving around fairly freely, so all appears well.
10 min: A pause as Christensen rolls his ankle as he snaps at McGoldrick’s heels. Ooyah, oof. A lot of frowning and wincing. The physio’s on. But he’s soon up and about again, and ready to continue.
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8 min: Pulisic is up against a full-back already on a yellow card, and he looks in the mood. He drives at Baldock down the left before rolling forward towards Mount on the overlap. There’s a little too much juice on the pass and the move breaks down. Chelsea look dangerous every time Pulisic goes near the ball, much as they did in the first half against Crystal Palace last week.
7 min: James swings in a cross from the right. United let it fly all the way across to Pulisic, romping in from the left, ahead of Baldock. The hosts are relieved to see his stooping header fly harmlessly over. That was a real chance.
5 min: Norwood swings one in from the right. McGoldrick tries to plant a header goalwards but James does enough to put him off. It’s another corner, though, and Kepa flaps at it a wee bit. His weak punch drops to Osborn, who should do better from the edge of the box than flay wildly into the stand behind.
3 min: It’s a super-early booking for Baldock, who clatters into Pulisic late, and grabs him for good measure. Totally unnecessary, and now he’s got some thinking to do for the rest of the game. Never an ideal state of affairs.
2 min: Nothing comes of the resulting corner. Chelsea go up the other end, Barkley having a lash from distance. It’s an easy gather for Henderson. No doubting that both teams are after the three points here.
16 seconds: Stevens and O’Connell combine down the left, the latter’s cross being hoicked out for a corner by Mount, under pressure under his own bar. What a start that nearly was!
United get the ball rolling ... but not before all 22 players take a knee. Black lives matter.
The teams are out! Sheffield United are in their old red and white stripes, while Chelsea wear next season’s first-choice blue. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes. But first, a moment of silent reflection in honour of Jack Charlton - formerly a player with Leeds and manager of Sheffield Wednesday - who passed away today. RIP Big Man.
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Frank Lampard - who scored with a strange, swerving, keeper-bamboozling free kick the last time Chelsea played at Bramall Lane, in 2006 - has a word. “Credit to Chris Wilder, they have a real identity. Even if you feel like you know what’s coming, it’s still very difficult to deal with them. They’ve shown that in the Premier League this season. It’s a huge credit to them. You really have to do your homework and look at how they play, because it is pretty unique. We have to be ready to deal with it.”
Chris Wilder speaks to Sky Sports. “Performances have been good, and we’ve got to try to find a way again to get past a very good side. We’re not getting ahead of ourselves, we can’t look any further than this afternoon, they’re one of the most free-flowing teams in the division. It’s a brilliant test for my players, and one we’re really looking forward to.”
Sheffield United make one change to the team that beat Wolves midweek. David McGoldrick replaces Billy Sharp up front; Sharp drops to the bench.
Chelsea make two changes to the side that won at Crystal Palace a few days back. Tammy Abraham and Jorginho replace Olivier Giroud, a sub today, and the injured Billy Gilmour.
The teams
Sheffield United: Henderson, Basham, Egan, O’Connell, Baldock, Berge, Norwood, Osborn, Stevens, McBurnie, McGoldrick.
Subs: Lundstram, Sharp, Jagielka, Kieron Freeman, Robinson, Mousset, Moore, Rodwell, Zivkovic.
Chelsea: Kepa, James, Christensen, Zouma, Azpilicueta, Barkley, Jorginho, Mount, Willian, Abraham, Pulisic.
Subs: Rudiger, Alonso, Loftus-Cheek, Caballero, Kovacic, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Batshuayi, Bate.
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands).
Preamble
Chelsea away was Sheffield United’s first statement result this season. Two goals down to Tammy Abraham’s first-half double in late August, Chris WIlder’s newly promoted side rallied in the second half and secured a richly deserved 2-2 draw, Callum Robinson scoring one and teasing a late own goal out of Kurt Zouma. After the game, Chris Wilder made his intentions for the season clear: “Three years ago we were bottom of League One and now we have come away from Chelsea with a result. We are not day trippers getting autographs and collecting shirts.”
Nearly a year down the line, poor United still have no autographs or shirts. But they have collected quite a lot of points, and as such remain a good bet for European qualification next season. It’s been the best performance from a newly promoted side since Ipswich Town wheelspun around the country in their tractor back in 2000-01. Since the restart, they’ve been diddled by technology at Aston Villa, and have recovered from back-to-back three-goal setbacks to pick up seven of the last nine points on offer. John Egan’s last-gasp winner against Wolves on Wednesday could be the reinvigorating boost that sends them continent-bound next season.
Chelsea have wants and desires of their own, mind. Since the resumption, they’ve moved into third spot, their Champions League chances for next season looking none too shabby right now. But they do have a couple of tricky games to end the season in Liverpool and Wolves, so could be doing with getting the full quota of six points from today’s match and Tuesday’s visit of Norwich. Easier said than done against a side who have lost just one of their last nine at Bramall Lane, and Chelsea don’t boast the most dependable defence in the division. But they are a lot of fun to watch, so this could be a doozy. It’s on!
Kick off: 5.30pm BST.
