Sheffield United regained top spot in the Sky Bet Championship table after a 1-0 win over promotion rivals Sunderland, who missed a first-half penalty at Bramall Lane.
Former Everton midfielder Tom Davies scored the only goal of the game, which ended with both teams down to 10 players after two red cards in the minutes leading up to half-time.
The Blades set a new club record with their eighth straight clean sheet at home, with each of those eight games ending in victory.
Though there was plenty of energy early on in the Steel City it wasn’t until just before the half-hour mark that anything noteworthy happened, when lively teenager Tom Watson burst into the box before being brought down clumsily by Jack Robinson.
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Tom Davies scores to give Sheffield United the lead against Sunderland and moves them top of the Championship.
Gavin Ward had no other choice than to point to the spot, but Patrick Roberts’ penalty was clawed away by Michael Cooper. It was to be the only shot on target of the first half that saw each team reduced to 10 players.
Sunderland’s Chris Mepham was shown a straight red for denying Tyrese Campbell a goalscoring opportunity on the edge of the box, before Blades defender Harry Souttar was given a cheap second yellow for a needless pull on Wilson Isidor on halfway.
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Sunderland’s Chris Mepham gets shown a red card for a tackle on Sheffield United’s Tyrese Campbell.
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Sheffield United’s Harry Souttar gets a second yellow card for a shirt pull on the halfway line just before half-time against Sunderland.
Much like the first half, the second did not lack energy, just action in either box. With 20 minutes to play, though, Sunderland goalkeeper Nathan Patterson was called into action to keep out efforts from Vini Souza, Femi Seriki and Campbell in just over 30 seconds.
It always seemed as though there would be at least one goal in the game – and it came after 83 minutes when Davies – in only his second appearance since March – marched into the box to pinch the ball, took it out slightly to the right of the box and fired across Patterson.
The managers
Sheffield United’s Chris Wilder:
To follow…
Sunderland’s Regis Le Bris:
To follow…
