Match report: Sheffield United 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Andy Hunter travelled to Bramall Lane for the Guardian to see a decidedly average Tottenham side comprehensively beaten by their hosts.
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What now for Jose? The Tottenham manager is getting pelters on social media and it’s not difficult to see why after an abominable display from his turgid side. It’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that, despite all his successes, the game has passed him by and he increasingly resembles a beaten docket.
Tottenham Hostpur, Champions League finalists last year, level on points with Burnley, who currently have about four fit senior players, all of whom are goalkeepers. It's not been a stirring start from Mourinho, has it?
— Rory Smith (@RorySmith) July 2, 2020
ITV tonight. New series; Levytate.
— Danny Kelly (@dannykellywords) July 2, 2020
A sinister hobgoblin uses his super powers to turn Champions League finalists into bottom-half cannon-fodder in record time. pic.twitter.com/RHlX7aFD97
Manchester City v Liverpool: The newly crowned champions will be getting a guard of honour from Manchester City ahead of their game which kicks off in a little under 15 minutes. You can follow that one with Paul Doyle.
Full time: Sheffield United 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeep! It’s all over at Bramall Lane, where Sheffield United have secured their first win in four games since the restart. Having rediscovered their mojo, they’ve run out comprehensive winners over a Spurs side that was fairly abject. They go seventh in the table five points behind Wolves, into a Europa League place. Tottenham, looking clueless under Jose Mourinho, are ninth, two points behind the victors.
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90+3 min: Lys Mousset has been a real handful since coming on and he wins another free-kick for his team on the halfway line as Sheffield United run down the clock.
90+2 min: Sheffield United substitution: Oli McBurnie off after an outstanding performance capped by a goal. Kieron Freeman on.
GOAL! Sheffield United 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Kane 90)
Harry Kane fires home from six yards out at the far post, taking advantage of a Sander Berge error as Son squares it for him.
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89 min: Sheffield United deserve this win. Their players have been working their red socks off and are first to every 50-50 ball. Tottenham’s, by contrast, look as if they couldn’t be bothered and would rather be anywhere else.
88 min: Lucas Moura drills the ball low and hard into the Sheffield United penalty area. Ollie Norwood gets a touch to take it out of Erik Lamela’s reach.
86 min: Jan Vertonghen wins a corner for Spurs. Sander Berge heads clear at the near post.
85 min: Tottenham win a free-kick just to the left of the Sheffield United penalty area. Son’s delivery is cleared.
GOAL! Sheffield United 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur (McBurnie 83)
Game, set and match, Sheffield United. Oli McBurnie scores their third, getting in front of Davinson Sanchez to volley home a cross from the right with a deft finish.
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81 min: Tottenham Hotspur are creating little or nothing as they attempt to peg back their two-goal deficit. Jose Mourinho will almost certainly blame this defeat on officialdom in general, specifically the goal his side had disallowed in the first half, but he ought to be very concerned about just how bereft of ideas they’ve looked in this second half.
78 min: Tottenham double-substitution I forgot to mention some minutes ago: Dele Alli and Tanguy Ndombele on for Moussa Sissoko and Serge Aurier. More recent Tottenham substitution that reminded me I’d forgotten to mention that double-substitution: Jan Vertonghen on for Ben Davies.
76 min: Harry Kane gets the ball in the Sheffield United net after pouncing on a ball threaded through a thicket of legs on the edge of the Sheffield United penalty area. Offside.
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that is woeful defending. No-one tracking their man. I guess better not to qualify for the Europa League and have a clear run next year.
— Max Rushden (@maxrushden) July 2, 2020
That defending. Spurs backline may as well have been training cones.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) July 2, 2020
70 min: That’s two goals United have scored in the Manchester City style now, Sander Berge and Lys Mousset both scoring from pull-backs from the byline. Tottenham’s marking there was non-existent - Mousset was completely unmarked three yards from goal as he converted the delivery from Enda Stevens after a good rampaging run by Ben Osborn.
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GOAL! Sheffield United 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Mousset 69)
Sheffield United double their lead, the completely unmarked Lys Mousset tapping in from a couple of yards as he prods home a pull-back from the byline.
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67 min: The second half has been extremely tedious, a state of affairs that will suit Sheffield United just fine. They’re defending very well against what is currently passing for the Spurs threat.
65 min: “OH F**K OFF, MAN!” roars Eric Dier in frustration after being penalised for a foul on Lys Mousset. That’s £1 in the swear jar, Eric. Up with that kind of potty-mouthed effing and jeffing we will not put.
64 min: Ben Osborn is penalised for a high boot near the face of Moussa Sissoko near the halfway line.
63 min: Sheffield United substitution: David McGoldrick off after another good shift, Lys Mousset on.
61 min: Having been under intense pressure in the final minutes before half-time, Sheffield United look very comfortable here. They almost double their lead when David McGoldrick volleys into the side-netting with his left foot. A poor effort, although he had picked up a knock moments previously and was in visible distress.
59 min: Erik Lamela goes a-rampaging towards the Sheffield United penalty area but runs down a blind alley and loses the ball when he’d have seen, if he’d looked up, Harry Kane was available and screaming for a pass.
57 min: Serge Aurier screams in pain as he goes to ground clutching his shin after a challenge by Ben Osborn. Free-kick for Tottenham, wide on the right. Lo Celso’s delivery into the Sheffield United penalty area is atrocious and the hosts clear.
56 min: Tottenham substitution: Erik Lamela on for Steven Bergwijn.
55 min: Good hold-up play from McBurnie, who controls a long clearance from Henderson. He manages to get a cross into the penalty area, but Tottenham clear.
53 min: Good work from McBurnie, who pressurises Sissoko into giving away a corner needlessly. His industriousness proves ultimately fruitless as nothing comes of the set piece.
51 min: Now Gio Lo Celso is penalised for a shove on Oli McBurnie a few yards outside the Sheffield United penalty area. It’s one from the training ground involving a flick round the corner from Chris Basham, who overcooks his pass. Hugo Lloris cleans up at the back.
50 min: Steven Bergwijn is penalised for a push on George Baldock as the duo contest a high ball on the edge of the Sheffield United penalty area.
48 min: Another driving run towards and into the Tottenham penalty area from Lucas Moura. He wins his team a corner and might have won them a penalty if Jack RObinson hadn’t done well to stay on his feet and resist what must have been an overwhelming urge to dive in. Nothing comes from the set piece.
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48 min: A slow start to the second half, with Spurs dominating possession but doing little or nothing with it.
Second half: Sheffield United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
46 min: Sheffield United resume play, protecting a one-goal lead. They were under serious pressure towards the end of the first half so if you’re a Spurs fan, I wouldn’t feel too disheartened just yet. Aggrieved, yes. Disheartened, no. There are no changes in personnel on either side.
Jamie Redknapp speaks: “This is one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen,” says the Sky Sports pundit of Tottenham’s disallowed goal. “I can honestly say, since VAR has been introduced ... look, I get the letter of the law but we have to use common sense.
“A player has been fouled and when you fall over you have to put your arms out to protect yourself. Moura gets fouled by three Spurs players and the ball get ricocheted on to his arm and falls for Harry Kane, who finishes well. It’s common sense! That is a horrendous decision! This is ruining football – things like this happening. I’m not even convinced it hit his arm and he should at least have got a free-kick.”
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A Football Weekly podcast host tweets and appears to make a good point
That disallowed goal is isn't VAR's fault. It's the law. It's @TheIFAB. I'd get rid of VAR, but the decision is correct.
— Max Rushden (@maxrushden) July 2, 2020
Of course, anyone who's ever seen a football match knows you shouldn't be penalised for being fouled, falling over & the ball brushing your hand. 👍❤️
Half-time: Sheffield United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
The sides go in for the break with Sheffield United leading courtesy of Sander Berge’s low drive. Tottenham thought they had equalised a minute later, only for Jose Mourinho to be left fuming after Harry Kane’s strike was ruled out by the curtain-twitchers at Stockley Park, who spotted an accidental – but illegal – handball moments after Lucas Moura had been fouled in the build-up.
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45+1 min: With the Blades under more pressure from Tottenham, Ben Osborn plays the ball out of defence, picking out David McGoldrick on the left touchline.
45 min: John Egan throws his body in front of a Gio Lo Celso drive from the edge of the penalty area as Sheffield United cling on to their lead under serious pressure.
44 min: Good defending from Chris Basham, who tracks a Son run into the Sheffield United penalty area and forces him away from goal as he tries to run on to a pass in behind from Lo Celso.
42 min: Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff have been giving the fourth official, Peter Bankes, both barrels since Tottenham’s goal was disallowed and have been told to sit down and shut their yaps. Jose’s face is a picture. It really is.
39 min: Oliver Norwood takes one for the team, tripping Lucas Moura a few yards outside the Sheffield United penalty area, right of centre and about 35 yards from goal. Son’s free-kick loops high and wide after taking a deflection off the wall. From the ensuing corner, Norwood catches Son with an elbow into his neck as the pair contest a bouncing ball out by the touchline and is incredibly lucky to avoid a second yellow in quick succession. What the hell was he thinking?
37 min: So, back to that Spurs non-goal. Lucas Moura advances up the field towards the edge of the penalty area with the ball at his feet. He ran into a crowd of players and was fouled, whereupon he went to ground and the ball bounced off his arm and into the path of Harry Kane, standing in acres of space to his right. Kane hit a low shot past Henderson, who almost certainly should have done better but was probably expecting a ferocious drive towards the corner of his goal. Anyway, it’s been ruled out now, much to Jose’s displeasure.
35 min: Oli McBurnie heads the ball over the bar after getting on the end of a cross from Ben Osborn. There wasn’t much pace on the delivery, which made it a difficult chance.
VAR! Tottenham's goal is ruled out!
It’s as you were, with Sheffield United leading by what is now the only goal of the game, after Tottenham’s goal is ruled out because the ball hit Lucas Moura’s arm accidentally as the Brazilian hit the deck after being fouled. Jose Mourinho is FURIOUS!!!
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GOAL! Sheffield United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Kane 32)
You’re always most vulnerable when you’ve just scored, they say ... and they might well be right. Harry Kane scores a soft one past Dean Henderson, the ball having bounced his way after Lucas Moura lost control of it on the edge of the penalty area.
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GOAL! Sheffield United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Berge 31)
Sheffield United takes the lead, with Sander Berge shooting low and diagonally into the bottom left-hand corner from inside the penalty area after getting on the end of a pull-back from the byline. He scuffed his shot but his aim was true.
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30 min: Oli McBurnie protests his team-mate’s innocence to referee Chris Kavanagh after David McGoldrick is penalised for a foul on Lucas Moura. Free-kick for Spurs, about 35 yards from goal in a central position. Harry Kane stands over it and shoots for goal but blasts his effort high and wide.
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28 min: TOttenham are looking more likely to score at the moment, but are lacking a little cutting edge. Moussa Sissoko tries his luck with a shot from distance that doesn’t trouble Henderson.
27 min: Son tries to pick out a decidedly unmarked Harry Kane in the Sheffield United penalty area with a cross curled in from the left. He slightly overhits his delivery and the ball sails into Dean Henderson’s arms.
24 min: Jose Mourinho had plenty to say to Moussa Sissoko during the drinks break, during which pointed a lot while instructing his midfielder. Play resumes, with everyone suitably rehydrated after an exhausting 20 minutes of gadding about at a quite pedestrian pace in stifling ... em, 14 degree heat.
23 min: Harry Kane gets a sight of goal after running on to a pass from Bergwijn after good work by Son. He slices his shot from a tight-ish angle and the ball sails well wide. It’s time for drinks.
22 min: McBurnie wins another knockdown from a Henderson goal-kick, attempting to pick out McGoldrick, who wins a throw-in. Fasten your seatbelt, dear reader. It really is that exciting.
20 min: Lo Celso plays the ball high in behind Sheffield United’s defence for Son to chase down the inside-left channel. John Egan is on hand to hack the ball clear.
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19 min: Sheffield United striker Oli McBurnie has picked up a knock of some sort and is limping gingerly but has yet to receive treatment.
18 min: Serge Aurier plays a give and go with Steven Bergwijn and his cross into the penalty area from the right is much better this time. Basham gets a touch, the ball hits Heung-min Son and bounces up nicely for Henderson.
16 min: Lucas Moura advances towards the right side of the Sheffield United penalty area and plays a perfect pass into the path of Serge Aurier on the overlap. His cross is diabolically bad and sails high and wide of Henderson’s goal.
14 min: McBurnie threads a little pass into the Tottenham penalty area for Chris Basham, of all people, to sprint on to. There’s too much weight on the pass and the central defender can’t reach it before Hugo Lloris.
12 min: McBurnie wins the ball in midfield after another long kick-out from Henderson, his goalkeeper. George Baldock is flagged for offside in the ensuing Sheffield United attack.
12 min: A fairly poor Enda Stevens cross into the Tottenham penalty area is cut out and cleared by Gio Lo Celso.
10 min: Another long ball up the field from Henderson, his third or fourth of the night so far. Baldock and McGoldrick get surrounded and penned in on the right touchline and are forced to play the ball backwards towards John Egan, who lumps it forward again.
7 min: Sheffield United win a throw-in just inside the Tottenham half and McGoldrick plays the ball wide to Baldock on the right. Spurs win possession back and advance quickly up the field. It’s pretty even so far.
6 min: Steven Bergwijn advances down the inside left and plays the ball wide to Son. He cuts inside and wins a corner with his attempted cross. Son takes the set piece and his delivery is sublime. Dier gets a touch at the near post and the ball flashes across the face of goal. Moussa Sissoko is unable to keep it in play and hooks it out for a goal kick.
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4 min: A long throw from Ben Osborn into the Tottenham penalty area is cleared by Eric Dier. Good early pressure here from Sheffield United, which comes to naught when Sander Berge overhits a cross from the right and puts the ball out of play.
3 min: Tottenham’s defenders pass the ball from side to side under a press from David McGoldrick and Oli McBurnie. The ball makes it’s way upfield to Dean Henderson, who leathers it back down the pitch. Baldock crosses for McGoldrick, who is unable to flick it into the path of McBurnie.
1 min: George Baldock takes the first shot in anger after an aggressive start from the hosts. His low drive looks to be fizzing towards the bottom right-hand corner, but Hugo Lloris gets down to save without much fuss.
Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur is go ...
1 min: Harry Kane gets the ball rolling, like his team-mates a vision in sort of aqua-marine ensemble of shirt, shorts and socks. The players of Sheffield United wear their usual home kit of red and white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks.
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Not long now: With the subs from both teams already dotted around various seats in the lower stand, Tottenham march out on to the pitch down the steps of one of one of the stands to the right the tunnel, from which their hosts emerge. The last of the pre-mch formalities are under way and kick off is just a few minutes away.
Chris Wilder speaks: “No excuse, we’re missing some big players and we just have to get on with it,”says Sheffield United’s manager in a pre-match interview with Sky Sports. “I just have the trust the team we’re putting out there to work hard and get a result. We only have seven on the bench tonight and we have to try to dig a result out from somewhere. This is a big challenge for us - we’re in the division for occasions and experiences like this, playing against top sides. I expect a fully committed front foot performance and I’m positive I’ll get that.”
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— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) July 2, 2020
Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur line-ups
Sheffield United: Henderson, Basham, Egan, Robinson, Baldock, Berge, Norwood, Osborn, Stevens, McBurnie, McGoldrick
Subs: Sharp, Jagielka, Kieron Freeman, Mousset, Moore, Rodwell, Zivkovic
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Aurier, Sanchez, Dier, Davies, Sissoko, Lo Celso, Lucas Moura, Bergwijn, Kane, Son
Subs: Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Winks, Lamela, Alli, Gazzaniga, Ndombele, Skipp, Fernandes
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Team news: Sheffield United make two changes to the team that lined up against Arsenal on Sunday, with Sander Berge and Ben Osborn coming into midfield for Johns Fleck and Lundstram. Congratulations to Osborn, who makes his full Premier League debut for the Blades.
Tottenham make one change in personnel from their last start, with Steven Bergwiijn replacing Dele Alli, who drops to the bench. We’ll have the full line-ups shortly.
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Jose Mourinho speaks
In the build-up to today’s game, the Tottenham manager has been singing the praises of his Argentinian midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, while simultaneously managing to toot his own horn too.
“I came to the club and he wasn’t playing,” he said. “I think the only match he started was Red Star Belgrade away in the Champions League - apart from that he was not playing. When I arrived I went in other directions and he did exactly what I love a player to do: ‘I’m going to show you’.
“There were no spoiled kid reactions, no crying, no moaning, no agents and family throwing messages to the press and to the social media. It was just between him and me: ‘I’m going to show you’, and he showed me step-by-step.”
Chris Wilder speaks ...
The Sheffield United manager has been discussing the financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic and how it might affect his budget for next season. The Blades are expected to be between £20m and £30m out of pocket on the back of it because of it, with no sign of crowd restrictions at football matches being lifted any time soon.
“First of all, I’m not being disrespectful because football was rightly stopped,” he said. “I’m just speaking from a financial perspective, but it has definitely changed things.
“I’m not embarrassed to say that. We’ll lose a chunk of change, I don’t know, somewhere between £20m and £30m, I should imagine, from the football club’s point of view. Perhaps that is a question for Steve [Bettis, United’s CEO].
“Does that mean it will affect budgets and investment into the team? Yes, that’s going to be the case and also what’s happening at the football club right now with the transfer of the club from one owner to another.
“I accept that and it’s up to me to find another way round that. I will give my best in trying to do what I need to do in order to make the group better for next year, which we have to.”
Tonight’s match officials
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Assistants: Sian Massey-Ellis and Scott Ledger
Fourth official: Peter Bankes
VAR: Michael Oliver
Assistant VAR: Neil Davies
Early team news
John Lundstram is a major doubt after being forced out of Sheffield United’s FA Cup defeat at the hands of Arsenal with a shoulder injury. Jack O’Connell is edging closer to a return following a knee injury, but with his replacement in defence, Jack Robinson, impressing in recent weeks, Chris WIlder says he feels under no pressure to rush O’Connell back.
Dean Henderson and John Egan are also available for selection after missing out on United’s last league game for “administrative” reasons. On loan from Manchester United, Henderson was not allowed to line up against his parent club, while Egan watched that particular game from the Naughty Step following his dismissal in defeat against Newcastle.
Tottenham defenders Japhet Tanganga and Juan Foyth are both injured, but otherwise Jose Mourinho has a full squad to choose from. Yet to feature for Tottenham in either of their games since Restart, record signing Tanguy Ndombele is rumoured to have fallen out with his manager and apparently eager to leave White Hart Lane. Mourinho, by contrast, insists the midfielder can recover from his slow start at Spurs.
Premier League: Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur
Reeling from three consecutive defeats in the wake of their “opening day” draw against Aston Villa, Sheffield United must try to get their season back on track with a win against Tottenham Hotspur, who are eighth in the table and just one point ahead of their hosts.
Following their draw with Manchester United and subsequent win over West Ham since the resumption of the season, Tottenham need a win to take them to within four points of Wolves and Manchester United and keep their faint hopes of Champions League qualification alive.
They can be reasonably confident of getting it against a side whose incredible first season back in the top flight looks to have been derailed by lockdown. Kick off is at 6pm but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
