Sheffield United scored a late, late penalty and snatched a 2-2 draw with West Ham United at Bramall Lane on Sunday evening.Battle hard, run more than your opponent, use your elbows and prefer tackles over dribbles! That’s how you play in the second tier of English football – and that’s how Sheffield United are playing now in the Premier League. Although they’re likely to play in the EFL Championship in August, they made West Ham feel like both teams are currently locked in a lower-league game.
On the pitch, the Londoners started brightly but were soon dragged into a highly physical fight by Chris Wilder’s team. Still, a moment of class gave Maxwell Cornet the opening goal in Yorkshire, putting Sheffield United into a familiar position of trailing at home.
However, despite being bottom of the standings, the red-and-whites showed admirable spirit and a desire to compete against the high-flying Irons.Ben Brereton Diaz, who recently returned to English football after an unsuccessful stint with Villarreal in Spain, made it 1-1 just before the break with a scrappy goal from close range. The same player had the best chance of the game midway through the second period after he was released by a terrific pass by James McAtee, but the Chilean international scuffed his shot wide when he was one-on-one with goalkeeper Alphonse Areola. The former Blackburn Rovers attacker would soon regret his miss even more.
The Blades’ Gustavo Hamer’s terrible afternoon was completed when he fouled Danny Ings in the area, leaving the referee with no choice but to point to the spot. Former Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse made no mistake from the spot, restoring the lead for David Moyes’ side with just over ten minutes left.Sheffield United’s recipe of being physical backfired once more in added time when their striker Ryan Brewster earned himself a red card with a mindlessly dangerous tackle on Emerson Palmieri. The Italian international was lucky not to end up with a broken leg on the occasion, but Brewster was shown the way to the dressing room before everyone else.Rhian Brewster is sent off 10 minutes after coming on… he seems perplexed as to why.Not sure how!!!#beINPL #WHUFC #TwitterBlades pic.twitter.com/iPutljU7hs— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) January 21, 2024 West Ham’s right-back Vladimir Coufal was booked for protesting hard over the dangerous tackle. The irony struck just two minutes later when he was also red-carded after he saw the yellow again for a professional foul.
The home team’s was awarded a penalty after a late scuffle involving Ollie McBurnie and Areaola. The ref wouldn’t change his decision after a VAR review, and Moyes had his head in his hands. Areola wasn’t in goal for the spot-kick after suffering an injury, so veteran Lukas Fabianski replaced him. The Pole’s first action of the evening was to fish the ball out of the net as the hosts celebrated an unlikely point.
The Blades may have a fighting spirit, but they don’t have the quality required to compete in the Premier League. The point they got tonight will make a nice story for their fans as they focus on trips to Norwich, Cardiff and Hull next year. They will soon get to test their old-school methods in the second tier.ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUESaturdayArsenal – Crystal Palace 5-0 (2-0)/Gabriel 11, Henderson 37 (og), Trossard 59, Martinelli 90+4, 90+5/Brentford – Nott. Forest 3-2 (1-1)/Toney 19, Mee 58, Maupay 68 – Danilo 3, Wood 65/SundaySheffield United – West Ham United 2-2 (1-1)/Brereton Diaz 44, MvBurnie 90+11 pen – Cornet 28, Ward-Prowse 78 pen/19.30: (4.60) Bournemouth (3.80) Liverpool (1.75)Monday22.45: (1.67) Brighton (4.00) Wolverhampton (5.60)***odds are subject to change