Manchester United recorded a hard-fought win over bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United with score 4:2 after a turnaround in a postponed match from the 29th round of the English Premier League. The match offered a lot of emotions from both camps, with the “blades” standing very evenly for large periods of the match against their famous rival.
They led through Jayden Bogle in the 35th after a blunder by goalkeeper Andre Onana, but Harry Maguire equalized in the 42nd minute. Ben Brereton Diaz gave the guests a new lead in the 50th minute and complicated the home team’s job again. But then came the captain’s minutes Bruno Fernandeswho equalized from the penalty spot in the 61st minute, then brought about the complete turnaround in the 81st minute. Rasmus Hoylund and put an end to the dispute in the 85th minute.
With this success, Man United collected 53 points and maintained their sixth position after Newcastle United’s loss to Crystal Palace. However, the Red Devils remain 13 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa in the battle for a Champions League place, albeit with a game in hand. Sheffield United, on the other hand, remain firmly in the last 20th place with only 16 points, and survival is ten points away with four games remaining until the end of the season. In the next round, the Red Devils host penultimate Burnley, while the Blades, who have not won since February 10, visit Newcastle.
The manager of Manchester United – Eric ten Haag, had serious problems with absent players, especially in defense. In goal was Andre Onana, and in front of him were Diogo Dalot, Casemiro, who was again retrained as a central defender, Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Christian Eriksen was preferred to Scott McTominay in the center of the pitch, partnering Coby Mayno. This was also the first start for the Dane since January. Antoni and Alejandro Garnacho operated on the flanks, while captain Bruno Fernandes was deployed behind Rasmus Hoylund, who led the attack.
The coach of Sheffield United – Chris Wilder, bet on the goal of Wesley Foderingham, who was preferred to Ivo Gurbic. Gustavo Hamer, who recovered from his injury, played in the center, and among the starters was the teenager Oliver Arblaster with the captain’s armband. In front, the “blades” relied on Ben Brereton Diaz and Cameron Archer.
CLASSIFICATION IN THE SUPERIOR LEAGUE / PROGRAM / RESULTS
Before 30 seconds had passed Manchester United had a chance to open the scoring when Diogo Dalot was given a great distance from the visitors’ goal but decided to shoot and did so brilliantly, the ball going just under the bar for Wesley Fodaringham who managed to knock the ball over the crossbar for a corner.
The Red Devils pressed in the opening minutes and settled deep in Sheffield’s half, although new clear-cut chances were lacking. In the 12th minute, captain Bruno Fernandes crossed from a corner to the edge of the goal area, where Casemiro headed but over the bar.
The visitors responded in the 14th minute when Alejandro Garnacho misplaced his pass, which allowed Cameron Archer to get forward and fire low in front of the box but safely wide of Andre Onana’s left-hand post. A minute later, Ben Brereton Diaz got in from the left in the box and fired between Casemiro’s legs but straight into Onana’s hands.
In the 17th minute, Garnacho entered the penalty area from the left and shot diagonally, but without problems for Fodaringham. Four minutes later, Christian Eriksen got in front of the arc of the penalty area and shot hard, but also high.
Seconds later, the Red Devils missed another great opportunity to open the scoring. Garnacho produced an excellent double pass with Antoni in front of the box, then the Argentinian came into the box, strolled unmolested and shot from around the penalty spot, but again Fodaringham stepped up brilliantly to save.
In the 31st minute, Eriksen brilliantly headed past Sheffield’s Rasmus Hoylund, who ran out of prime position to shoot, but still fired a low-angle cross into the penalty area, only to be parried by the visitors’ keeper.
Despite the pressure from the hosts, however, Sheffield United shocked Old Trafford with a goal in the 35th minute after a huge mistake by Onana. The visitors pressed their opponent in front of his penalty area, with Casemiro returning the ball for his goalkeeper. However, the Cameroonian didn’t look at who he was passing to and did it right between Harry Maguire and Dalot, which allowed Jaden Bogle to steal the ball, enter the penalty area from the right and score in Onana’s near corner for 0:1.
After that, the Red Devils went on the attack again and in the 39th minute, Fernandes shot hard from a serious distance, being accurate, but in the hands of Fodaringham.
Three minutes before the end of the first half, however, Man United equalized the score. Bruno crosses from the free kick but the ball is cleared. Garnacho caught up to her on the left flank and crossed to the front post, where Maguire outpaced Mason Holgate and headed straight into the far corner for 1:1.
Shortly before the end of the regular 45 minutes, United could have even turned the score around. Onana found Dalot with a fine long pass in front of the penalty area, and the Portuguese found Garnacho with one touch to shoot with his right foot, but once again Fodaringham stepped in to save.
Just five minutes after the break, Sheffield United dealt another blow to Manchester United’s ambitions by scoring a second goal. The hosts did not get their bearings well with a touch down the left of the visitors’ attack, then Gustavo Hamer held on well in front of the box and waited for the right moment to head home from the left in the penalty spot for Ben Osborne. He crossed low with his right foot to the edge of the goalkeeper’s field, where Ben Brereton Diaz was forgotten and hit with his right foot for 1:2.
After the goal, Erik ten Hag reacted and brought on Amad Diallo in place of Antoni.
After exactly an hour of play, however, the “Red Devils” were given the right to execute a penalty, which was awarded for a foul on Austin Trusty, who held Maguire in his penalty area and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Bruno Fernandes took care of the performance, who put the goalkeeper Fodaringham in the opposite corner – 2:2 in the 61st minute.
Shortly after, Scott McTomney appeared on the field in place of Christian Eriksen.
In the 67th minute, Sheffield were inches away from scoring a third goal for the hosts. Brereton Diaz received in the Man United half, advanced and shot from distance, the ball ricocheting treacherously to Maguire’s leg and lying to Onana, who headed into the opposite corner. Fortunately for him, however, the ball “licked” his left post and went into the corner, which was the first of the game for the visitors.
Manchester United took the lead for the first time in the 81st minute, making a complete turnaround. Kobi Mayno combined with Bruno Fernandes in the Sheffield half and the Portuguese had empty space in front of him, set the ball on his left foot and with a superb strike from around 25 meters he set up a helpless Fodaringham for the third time, slotting into his left corner to make it 3-2 .
Four minutes later, the “red devils” decided everything with a fourth goal. Captain Bruno had received a long pass on the edge of the penalty area, controlled it perfectly on his chest and then with a touch of his right foot he crossed to the far post, where Høylund got ahead of Trusty and tapped in with his left foot to make it 4-2.
In the fifth minute of added time, the visitors made a mistake in passing the ball, which allowed Bruno to take away and then combine with Garnacho on the left flank. The Argentine winger advanced from the left into the box and shot at goal, but this time Fodaringham stepped in and saved.
By the end of the match, there were no new interesting situations and Man United congratulated themselves with a nice victory after a turnaround.
FT ⚽ | MANCHESTER UNITED – SHEFFIELD UNITED 4:2
0:1 Jayden Bogle 35′
1:1 Harry Maguire 42′
1:2 Ben Brereton Diaz 50′
2:2 Bruno Fernandes (c) (penalty) 61′
3:2 Bruno Fernandes (c) 81′
4:2 Rasmus Hoylund 85′
Premier League29th round
Chief Judge: Michael Salisbury, England
Stadium: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
Starting lineups of both teams:
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): 24. Andre Onana – 20. Diogo Dalot, 18. Casemiro, 5. Harry Maguire ⚽, 29. Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 14. Christian Eriksen, 37. Kobe Meino – 21. Antony, 8. Bruno Fernandes (k) ⚽⚽, 17. Alejandro Garnacho – 11. Rasmus Hoylund ⚽
Reservations: 1. Altai Bayander (c), 75. Habib Oguneye, 70. Harry Amaas, 39. Scott McTomenay, 62. Omari Forson, 16. Amad Diallo, 78. Lewis Jackson, 4. Sofian Amrabat, 84. Ethan Whitley
Manager: Eric ten Haag
SHEFFIELD UNITED (3-5-2): 18. Wesley Fodaringham – 5. Austin Trusty, 15. Anel Ahmedhodzic, 30. Mason Holgate g.k. – 35. Andre Brooks, 23. Ben Osborne, 24. Oliver Arblaster (k)8. Gustavo Hamer, 20. Jayden Bogle ⚽ – 10. Cameron Archer, 11. Ben Brereton Diaz ⚽
Reservations: 13. Ivo Gurbic (cr), 29. Sam Curtis, 16. Oliver Norwood, 27. Yasser LaRussi, 28. James McAtee, 25. Ennis Ben Slimane, 21. Vinicius Souza, 32. William Osula, 44. Owen Hampson
Manager: Chris Wilder
Tags: Bruno Fernandes inspired Manchester United major comeback lastplace finishers Soccer World England
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