The whole place erupted when the final whistle blew.
It was breathtaking, brilliant and an unforgettable match will surely go down as one of the best Premier League games of the season.
At times, it was easy to get your United’s mixed up as the Manchester lot were pitiful, then staged a remarkable fightback only to be denied an unlikely victory by true Yorkshire grit.
It was not a game for the faint hearted as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was taunted by the home fans chanting for him to be sacked in the morning as it is a dangerous time to get bad results with Mauricio Pochettino suddenly available.
But, equally, United dug deep for their manager as Marcus Rashford was the inspiration behind their stirring comeback which suggested the players are determined to battle for Solskjaer.
Whether spirit and heart is enough remains to be seen because the visitors were second best for long periods and if it had not been for keeper David de Gea then United would have been 4-0 down at half time.
That is why it would have been so harsh on Sheffield United not to have got anything from a game which they dominated for 70 minutes and, after what seemed an eternity, VAR saw sense and allowed substitute Ollie McBurnie’s injury time leveller to stand.
At the end, when everyone had caught their breath then it was probably time to reflect that Sheffield United are having the time of their lives while being stuck in ninth and mid-table mediocrity is nowhere near enough for Manchester United.
The gaps in Solskjaer’s squad are frightening. Phil Jones was so bad - he was to blame on John Fleck’s opener - that it should be a long time before we see him in a United shirt again. No wonder Jones was hooked at half time.
United’s £52m midfield misfit Fred is nowhere near good enough, Andreas Pereira should not even be a squad player and it says everything about the current state of affairs at Old Trafford that they desperately miss Scott McTominay. Without him, there is not enough fight in midfield.
The bigger worry is so many United players looked intimidated by the noise and blood-and-thunder atmosphere at Bramall Lane. It is not a place for the faint hearted - and the weak were horribly shown up.
Sheffield United thrived on the noise, they tore at United’s vulnerable-looking back three. De Gea made a stunning double save from John Lundstram and David McGoldrick.
But the breakthrough came after 19 minutes. Lys Mousset, rejected as a lost cause at Bournemouth, was too strong for United, shoulder charging Jones before sending over a low cross. Lundstram’s shot was saved by de Gea and then the ball went in off Fleck’s knee.
The home side were rampant, the visitors were in disarray. Finally, Sheffield United got a second when Fleck’s brilliant through ball released Mousset who slotted home with a perfect shot into the far corner after 52 minutes.
It looked all over. But Manchester United found a recovery from somewhere as half time substitute Jesse Lingard and Rashford showed they understand the United DNA. They never gave up and fought for the shirt.
Daniel James came alive, his cross was half cleared by Chris Basham and rookie left back Brandon Williams arrowed a low shot into the net after 73 minutes. What a way to get your first senior goal.
Four minutes later, Rashford’s cross set up Mason Greenwood and United’s second teenager of the match got his first Premier League goal. Then, after 79 minutes, Rashford scored from James’ cross.
United’s goalscorers were aged 19, 18 and 22 respectively. No wonder Sir Alex Ferguson, looking on from the stands, was all smiles. This was the sort of fightback straight out of the Fergie managerial handbook.
However, Sheffield United somehow lifted themselves again. Enda Stevens tore down the left, put over a cross, McBurnie controlled it and then fired home. It took forever for VAR to rule it hit his shoulder, not his arm and the goal stood.
For once, even VAR got it right. That tells you this game was something out of the ordinary.
