Sheffield United 1-2 Manchester United: Diogo Dalot fires Red Devils to win over Blades

Manchester United won their second Premier League game in a row with a hard fought 2-1 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

The home side had the better of the early exchanges, before Scott McTominay scuffed in a volley after 28 minutes to put Manchester United ahead.

The advantage was immediately cancelled out, as McTominay soon handled the ball in his own area and Oli McBurnie levelled the match from the spot.

Sofyan Amrabat hit the bar for the visitors as they slowly exerted more pressure in the second half. It paid off 13 minutes from time when Diogo Dalot curled a long-range effort into the top corner.

Sheffield United will now face Arsenal at the Emirates next weekend, while Manchester United’s next Premier League match is the Manchester derby at the Etihad.

The Derby looms large for Manchester United. This victory marks two Premier League wins in the spin for Erik ten Hag’s team, a pair of 2-1 victories won deep into the second half. Finally they seem to have a scintilla of momentum, secured with the kind of long-range effort that the late, great Bobby Charlton used to knock in for fun.

That momentum will be severely tested next week, with a daunting trip to the Etihad on the horizon. Last year Manchester United went under there 6-3; this season they’re limping into it with an injury list that is only getting better in painfully slow increments.

As things stand they’re up to eighth in the table, and the only way to get higher is to fight their way up there while first teamers slowly return one by one. Charlton had that moxie in him and then some, and Ten Hag’s players will need it next week.

If he keeps playing like this it will silence a lot of the noise around him. Maguire marshalled Manchester United’s makeshift back four to keep the lively McBurnie and Cameron Archer in check, while also distributing the ball well from the back

Sheffield United: Foderingham 7; Bogle 6, Trusty 6, Robinson 7, Thomas 6; Hamer 6, Vini Souza 6, McAtee 7; Norwood 6; McBurnie 7, Archer 6

SUBS: Osborn 6, Traore 6, Brewster 6

Manchester United: Onana 6; Lindelof 6, Maguire 8, Evans 6, Dalot 7; Amrabat 7, McTominay 7, Fernandes 7; Antony 6, Hojlund 7, Rashford 6

SUBS: Varane 6, Eriksen 6, Mount 6, Garnacho 7, Martial 6

28’ GOAL! SHEFFIELD UNITED 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (MCTOMINAY 28) From nothing, Manchester United lead! Their first good move of the night sees a quick one-two release Dalot down the right. His cross is overhit, but they work it out to Fernandes on the edge. He fires a ball into McTominay, who chests it up in the air and then scuffs a volley past a rooted Fodderingham from 12 yards out. It’s that man again!

31’ PENALTY! Now it’s McTominay down the other end! He leans into a cross into the box with his arm, which the ball strikes, and Michael Oliver immediately points to the spot. Drama!

34’ GOAL! SHEFFIELD UNITED 1 (MCBURNIE PEN. 34) MANCHESTER UNITED 1 After a routine VAR check that takes an age for some reason, McBurnie takes the kick; it’s a pearler, smashed in high off the right hand post, and we’re level!

67’ SO CLOSE! A Manchester United corner breaks to Amrabat, 25 yards out. He booms it at goal, and it cracks off the crossbar and out! Fernandes eventually retrieves it, and then fires a yard past the far post from the edge.

77’ GOAL! SHEFFIELD UNITED 1 MANCHESTER UNITED 2 (DALOT 77) The visitors are back in front, and it’s a beauty! Lindelof lays a ball across the face of the area to Dalot, just outside the D. Dalot sets it out for the top corner, and Fodderingham gets a hand to it but can’t keep it out!

• McTominay’s goal was his first away goal for Manchester United since a League Cup tie with Brighton in 2020.