Sheffield United 3 - 1 Coventry City

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Sheffield United 3 - 1 Coventry City

Postby dutchman » Tue Dec 27, 2022 6:27 pm

Blades beat Coventry to go level on points at top

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Sheffield United went level on points with Championship leaders Burnley as they beat Coventry City at Bramall Lane.

Three of their Premier League loanees scored - Manchester City youngsters James McAtee and Tommy Doyle, either side of a first goal in two years for Newcastle defender Ciaran Clark.

Championship leading marksman Viktor Gyokeres, who had a penalty saved by Wes Foderingham when the score was still only 1-0, pulled one back when his side were 3-0 down.

And the hosts had to play a man short for 17 minutes when John Egan was sent off for a second yellow card after being turned by Gyokeres.

But the Blades saw it out to move level on 47 points with Burnley, who host Birmingham City on Tuesday night at Turf Moor.

Defeat came at a further cost for Coventry, who had midfield schemer Callum O'Hare stretchered off after going down awkwardly in only the fifth minute.

It still took until the 35th minute for the Blades to go ahead in a move that emanated straight from a Coventry corner.

Foderingham's long punt forward was flicked on, Iliman Ndiaye sprayed a pass out to the right - and on-loan forward McAtee ran on to steer home right-footed for only his second goal in professional football.

After Sky Blues' Jonathan Panzo had a header go just wide, the visitors had a great chance to level when Jake Bidwell went down under a challenge from Anel Ahmedhodzic.

But Gyokeres, the Sky Blues' spot-kick matchwinner in their pre-Christmas win over West Brom, struck a poor penalty.

This one was low but too close to Foderingham, who did not have to move too far to his right to save. And City were made to pay when the hosts doubled their lead.

Panzo fouled Oliver Norwood on the right, the Blades midfielder took the resulting free-kick himself and curled over a neat ball from which former Aston Villa defender Clark rose unmarked at the far post to head his first goal for the club.

Max Lowe then reacted well to Ndiaye's low cross, playing the ball back across goal from the left for Doyle to steer home, also his first goal for the Blades.

At 3-0 up, with still 19 minutes left, two more goals for the Blades would have taken them back to the top above Burnley on goal difference.

But that notion was quickly forgotten when Gyokeres powerfully headed home Gus Hamer's left-wing cross for his 12th league goal of the campaign. And the Blades were then further stymied when Gyokeres was blocked by Egan - and the home defender received his second yellow card of the afternoon.

Both sides are back in action in Thursday's programme of evening games when Sheffield United are at Blackpool and Coventry, who have dropped to 11th, host Cardiff City.

Coventry City manager Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"The first goal was poor. If you allow someone with the quality of Iliman Ndiaye the time and space he's going to hurt you.

"They countered on us from our own corner, which doesn't generally happen.

"Even when the penalty was saved, I still thought we could find a way back into the game.

"Losing Callum O'Hare so early on had a knock-on effect. He was a big miss for us. I'm fearing the worst but hoping for the best."

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Re: Sheffield United 3 - 1 Coventry City

Postby dutchman » Tue Dec 27, 2022 6:30 pm

Injury blow, costly penalty miss and red card

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Coventry City suffered a Boxing Day defeat at Sheffield United in an eventful afternoon at Bramall Lane that included a worrying injury, costly missed penalty and opposition red card.

The Blades took the lead from a break-away first half goal but the Sky Blues passed up the opportunity to equalise from the penalty spot early in the second when Viktor Gyokeres was denied by the keeper. Four minutes later and the home side had doubled their lead amid dreadful defending from a set-piece.

Mark Robins’ men then conceded an even worse third from open play before Gyokeres headed home a Gus Hamer free-kick to give City a 75th minute consolation goal before defender John Egan was sent off for a second yellow card.

City suffered a major blow in the second minute when Callum O’Hare went down injured as he was trying to control a ball, clutching his right knee and receiving treatment before being stretchered off and replaced by Kasey Palmer.

Sheffield went closest to breaking the deadlock in the 26th minute when veteran striker Billy Sharp got the better of Michael Rose at the back post, getting his head on a deep corner and hitting the underside of the bar.

But the home side took the lead in the 35th minute when City got caught on the counter attack from a corner. Goalkeeper Wes Foderingham punched clear to Iliman Ndiaye in his own half, with the striker surging forward and playing a diagonal pass to James McAtee with Jamie Allen slipping as he attempted to cut it out and leaving the forward to race into the box and slot calmly past Ben Wilson.

City passed up the opportunity to get back on level terms two minutes into the second half when Jake Bidwell was tripped in the box and Coventry were awarded a penalty. However, Gyokeres hit his spot-kick straight down the middle and the keeper dropped to the ground to make the save and deny the equaliser.

The Blades then doubled their lead in the 52nd minute when an Oliver Norwood free-kick into the box was headed home by an unchallenged Ciaran Clark, in a really poor goal to concede. But things went from bad to worse in the 71st minute when City were at sixes and sevens at the back as they completely missed a ball across the face of goal, only for United to recycle it and send it back in from opposite side for Tommy Doyle to rifle home at the near post a minute after going on as a sub.

Gyokeres then scored a consolation header from a Hamer free-kick 15 minutes from time before United were reduced to ten men when John Egan was sent off for a second yellow card after fouling Gyokeres to stop him breaking free.

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