Sheffield United extended their unbeaten league run to ten games and opened up a 3-point gap at the top of the Championship table after grinding out a 2-0 win against a spirited Plymouth at Bramall Lane.
It wasn’t as routine an afternoon as the scoreline might suggest for the league leaders, both sides lacked quality in the final third, but The Blades found the killer instinct when it mattered, with Gustavo Hamer finding the net on 19 minutes, with a volley after the Plymouth skipper Lewis Gibson failed to fully clear a corner from the right.
Sheffield United’s lead was doubled 4 minutes from time when Kieffer Moore converted from the spot after Tom Davies was brought down by Brendan Galloway.
The hosts made two changes from the side that won at Millwall, One and Davies in for Brewster and Souza. While the visitors made three changes from the side beaten at home by Swansea, Gray, Wright and Ogbeta were replaced by Hardie, Obafemi and Hajj.
A first league meeting between The Blades and The Pilgrams for 14 years saw a pretty evenly matched first half. Both sides created half chances in the early exchanges, Obafemi could not convert from a tricky angle at the back post for the visitors, while O’Hare half volleyed over the bar and into The Kop for the home side.
Plymouth may have been disheartened after conceding given how few goals Sheffield United concede at home, but they responded well, and had a glorious opportunity to equalise 10 minutes before the break, with Darko Gyabi spurning a glorious opportunity from ten yards out in front of goal.
Gustavo Hamer magic. 🪄 pic.twitter.com/i5ds0wZwUp
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) December 14, 2024
The visitors started the second half brightly, keeping hold of the ball well without carving out many clear-cut chances. The closest they came to a leveller was on 55 minutes when Gibson’s header hit the post from an Adam Randall cross.
The visitors threatened again just after the hour mark, when former Pilgrim Michael Cooper was called into action to make a reflex save from a Ryan Hardie flicked header.
The hosts did grow into the half with substitute Kieffer Moore involved in two attacking moves after coming on, almost latching onto a from a cross into the box and then seeing a header rise over the bar. He did get his reward eventually when he converted the penalty.
Rooney had looked to his bench for inspiration, bringing on Andre Gray and Adam Forshaw, but neither managed to make a real impact.
Rooney’s Woes Continue
While on the face of it, it’s a fourth consecutive defeat for under-pressure Plymouth boss Wayne Rooney, and leaves them without a win in six, he should take heart from the way his side played here. Going toe to toe with a bang in form side on their own patch, on another day the visitors could have been taking at least a point back to Devon with them.
They had the lion share of the ball throughout the contest and created more goal-scoring opportunities. The former Manchester United striker added the vastly experienced Mike Phelan to his coaching staff this week, and Argyle looked particularly well set up today.
The task doesn’t get any easier though as The Pilgrims prepare for the visit of play-off chasing Middlesbrough next Saturday. While Sheffield United are in South Wales to face Cardiff.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder:
‘It was a tough watch, for myself, the coaches and supporters. Credit to Wayne and his coaching staff, I thought Plymouth were the better side in the first half.’
‘I thought we had the better moments in the second half without feeling incredibly safe or that we were over the line.’
‘Maybe I should have made more changes, but it’s a ridiculous schedule, playing 3 games in 6 days, but I guess that’s a result of winning games.’
Plymouth boss Wayne Rooney:
‘We’re disappointed with the result, I didn’t think we deserved to lose, we know Sheffield United are good in both boxes, so to concede from a corner was disappointing.’
‘I thought we showed a good reaction to going a goal down, we got into some really good areas but were just missing that last bit.’
‘I tried to be positive with my team selection – bringing Michael Obafemi back in, I thought he did well.’
On bringing Mike Phelan to the club: ‘He’s played a pretty observant role this week, obviously I’m hoping he can have an impact, that’s why I’ve brought him in.’
