Chris Wilder’s side secured a hard-fought victory at Bramall Lane yesterday afternoon, making it three consecutive wins for the Blades.
Gustavo Hamer’s sensational free-kick proved to be the decisive moment in the match, sealing the win for the home side.
Both teams went into the game missing key central midfielders—Oli Arblaster for United and David Ozoh for Derby County—both of whom have been standout performers so far this season.
The match got off to a lively start, with Derby nearly taking an early lead as Kayden Jackson’s fierce strike forced a save in the opening minute.
This led to an end-to-end opening 10 minutes, with Sheffield United having a fantastic opportunity denied from close range as Derby goalkeeper Jacob Zetterström made a crucial double save to keep it goalless.
United continued to create more chances throughout the first half, with Kieffer Moore repeatedly catching Curtis Nelson off guard, but the Blades failed to capitalise on numerous occasions.
Crystal Palace loanee Jesrun Rak-Sakyi’s pace and quick feet were proven to be difficult to deal with for Callum Elder, who eventually was forced off with a groin injury.
As the opening half drew close to a close, a brief altercation erupted between Wilder and Warne after the Derby boss accused Wilder of putting his hands on Derby forward Jerry Yates.
Wilder called it a “difference in opinion”, arguing that the referee should have an obligation to speed up the game. Warne maintained that Wilder had made contact with his player, a claim Wilder denied, stating he had no intention of doing so.
However, the Sheffield United boss went on to express his “incredible amount of respect” for Paul, praising him as “a fabulous guy and a fabulous manager,” though admitting they wouldn’t agree on everything.
Warne added, “I get on brilliantly with Chris, but as a leader, I’d want to play for someone who stands up for his lads.”
After a lacklustre first half, both teams were hoping for a significant improvement entering the final 45 minutes.
It was the Blades that stamped their mark on the game with a swift counterattack that saw former Sheffield United midfielder Ben Osbourne take down Gustavo Hamer on the edge of the box.
While Derby were setting up their wall to defend the free kick, Warne was visibly frustrated with the positioning of certain players.
He said: “I don’t like to criticise my players; it was a good finish and went over the small guy. I would have liked to have three big fridges on the wall.”
Regarding the foul that led to the goal, Warne described it as “soft,” noting that there were many such calls in the game and that consistency was key.
In the 53rd minute, Hamer took advantage of the wall’s short stature, wrapping his foot around the ball to whip a fine strike into the top right corner, leaving Zetterström stranded.
After the Blades secured their lead early into the second half, Derby struggled to get the ball out of their half, enduring constant pressure from Wilder’s men.
The home side had plenty of opportunities to kill the game off in the second half, as Derby failed to offer any attacking threat.
The Rams continued to give away the ball cheaply, gifting possession to Sheffield United on multiple occasions. However, Welsh international Kieffer Moore was unable to exploit Derby’s defensive errors.
There were no real clear-cut chances for either team after the goal, but Sheffield United maintained control for much of the second half.
The final five minutes saw Andre Brookes use his blistering pace and dangerous dribbling to create chances, but once again, the Blades frontmen failed to get on the end of chances created.
This sees Derby County now without a point away from home this season, with Warne unable to ‘put his finger on why the team can’t win’ on the road.
However, Warne said that “he’s not worried, as Derby were one of the best away teams in League One last season” with “virtually the same group of players”.
The Blades now see a trip south to face a struggling Portsmouth side and will be expected to pick up another three points as they aim for the automatic promotion places.
