Match ends, Sheffield United 1, Brighton and Hove Albion 0.
Sheff UtdSheffield United1BrightonBrighton & Hove Albion0
Sheffield United claimed a first Premier League win since last month's departure of manager Chris Wilder to keep wasteful Brighton looking nervously over their shoulders.
The Blades, whose own relegation was confirmed by defeat at Wolves seven days earlier, handed a glimmer of hope to the other sides in the bottom three as David McGoldrick's winner punished poor Brighton defending.
Adam Webster's heavy touch triggered a swift break from the hosts and Joel Veltman compounded the error with a poor clearance from Ben Osborn's cross as a ricochet off Pascal Gross fell perfectly for McGoldrick to swivel and score.
Brighton remain seven points clear of 18th-placed Fulham and 10 above West Bromwich Albion, in 19th, with five games remaining but missed the chance to virtually seal their safety at Bramall Lane.
The Seagulls' best openings fell to Neal Maupay, who was twice denied by Aaron Ramsdale and hooked over a great chance from close range, while a Jakub Moder strike was ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee.
The victory was the Blades' first under caretaker manager Paul Heckingbottom, having lost all four of their previous league games, as well as an FA Cup quarter-final at Chelsea, under his stewardship.
VAR shows its value as Seagulls squander again
While VAR was once again maligned in Saturday's earlier two Premier League games at Anfield and London Stadium, there were no arguments with its deployment or accuracy at Bramall Lane.
The officials missed that Poland midfielder Moder was coming back from an offside position as he turned home a loose ball from a corner but the movement was picked up in Stockley Park.
It would not have mattered had Brighton converted one of the many other chances they frittered away as they once again failed to turn pressure and domination into goals again.
Maupay was the chief culprit, denied one-on-one by Ramsdale in the first half and shooting over the bar from inside the six-yard box after the break, even if Alireza Jahanbakhsh's cross was slightly behind him.
Adam Lallana, Danny Welbeck and Yves Bissouma also spurned presentable chances, while Jose Izquierdo, making a first appearance in almost two years after knee problems, was thwarted by Ramsdale late on.
The Seagulls should have enough points to survive but their failures against the sides below them - Brighton have failed to win any of their eight games against the bottom four - leave them with a nervy run-in against teams all in the top half.
More to follow.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Sheffield United
Starting XI
Avg
- Squad number1Player nameRamsdaleAverage rating
7.38
- Squad number2Player nameBaldockAverage rating
7.01
- Squad number12Player nameEganAverage rating
7.18
- Squad number29Player nameBryanAverage rating
6.39
- Squad number20Player nameBogleAverage rating
6.65
- Squad number16Player nameNorwoodAverage rating
6.51
- Squad number4Player nameFleckAverage rating
6.90
- Squad number3Player nameStevensAverage rating
6.79
- Squad number23Player nameOsbornAverage rating
7.33
- Squad number24Player nameBrewsterAverage rating
6.62
- Squad number17Player nameMcGoldrickAverage rating
7.78
Substitutes
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameLundstramAverage rating
4.96
- Squad number14Player nameBurkeAverage rating
6.20
Brighton & Hove Albion
Starting XI
Avg
- Squad number26Player nameSánchezAverage rating
5.13
- Squad number4Player nameWebsterAverage rating
4.36
- Squad number5Player nameDunkAverage rating
5.17
- Squad number34Player nameVeltmanAverage rating
5.09
- Squad number13Player nameGroßAverage rating
4.58
- Squad number14Player nameLallanaAverage rating
5.09
- Squad number8Player nameBissoumaAverage rating
5.47
- Squad number15Player nameModerAverage rating
4.92
- Squad number11Player nameTrossardAverage rating
4.48
- Squad number9Player nameMaupayAverage rating
3.86
- Squad number18Player nameWelbeckAverage rating
4.95
Substitutes
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameConnollyAverage rating
3.81
- Squad number16Player nameJahanbakhshAverage rating
5.06
- Squad number19Player nameJosé IzquierdoAverage rating
5.02
Line-ups
Sheff Utd
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 1Ramsdale
- 2BaldockBooked at 77mins
- 12Egan
- 29Bryan
- 20Bogle
- 16Norwood
- 4Fleck
- 3StevensBooked at 88mins
- 23OsbornSubstituted forLundstramat 81'minutes
- 24BrewsterSubstituted forBurkeat 65'minutes
- 17McGoldrickBooked at 24mins
Substitutes
- 7Lundstram
- 11Mousset
- 13Lowe
- 14Burke
- 15Jagielka
- 18Foderingham
- 22Ampadu
- 31Brunt
- 33Gordon
Brighton
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 26Sánchez
- 4Webster
- 5Dunk
- 34Veltman
- 13GroßSubstituted forJahanbakhshat 67'minutes
- 14Lallana
- 8Bissouma
- 15ModerSubstituted forConnollyat 67'minutes
- 11TrossardSubstituted forIzquierdoat 82'minutes
- 9Maupay
- 18Welbeck
Substitutes
- 7Connolly
- 10Mac Allister
- 16Jahanbakhsh
- 17Alzate
- 19Izquierdo
- 23Steele
- 24Pröpper
- 29Zeqiri
- 33Burn
- Referee:
- Kevin Friend
Match Stats
Home TeamSheff UtdAway TeamBrighton
- Possession
- Home32%
- Away68%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home2
- Away12
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sheffield United 1, Brighton and Hove Albion 0.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Enda Stevens.
Post update
Attempt missed. Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Joël Veltman following a set piece situation.
Booking
Enda Stevens (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Enda Stevens (Sheffield United).
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Aaron Ramsdale.
Post update
Attempt saved. José Izquierdo (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Yves Bissouma.
Post update
Attempt missed. Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the right side of the box is too high. Assisted by Danny Welbeck.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. José Izquierdo replaces Leandro Trossard.
Substitution
Substitution, Sheffield United. John Lundstram replaces Ben Osborn.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Aaron Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Joël Veltman.
Post update
Neal Maupay (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by John Egan (Sheffield United).
Booking
George Baldock (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Joël Veltman (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Oliver Burke (Sheffield United).
Post update
Attempt saved. Jayden Bogle (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by George Baldock.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Enda Stevens.
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