Sheffield United sealed a historic double-double over their city rivals Wednesday at Bramall Lane, a 2-1 home win condemning the Owls to relegation to League One. It looked ominous for Wednesday as the Blades cruised into a 2-0 lead at half-time.
But the second-half sending off of Kalvin Phillips changed the momentum of the game and saw Charlie McNeill pull one back for the home side, giving the game a nervier feel than had ever seemed possible in the first half.
Both sides finished with 10 men after Gabriel Otegbayo received a second yellow late on for fouling Tyrese Campbell while there was even time for a flashpoint after the final whistle, when Svente Ingelsson took issue with Sydie Peck celebrating with his own supporters and sparked a mini-melee between both sets of players.
Here’s how we rated the Blades as they sealed a first double-double since 1953 over their rivals...
5. Harrison Burrows 7
Who else put the ball in the Wednesday net? Harrison flipping Burrows. United were in dreamland after Bamford's early opener but it was the second that nearly took the roof off Bramall Lane, Burrows playing a neat one-two with Peck and then running off O'Neill to smash past Dieng. He probably should have done better to save it but the swerve took it away from his right hand and into the net | UGC Photo: UGC
6. Kalvin Phillips 3
A full home debut for the former Leeds man and he absolutely cruised through almost a hour of it before his afternoon ended with a horror challenge that caught Ingelsson on the knee in the follow through and was punished with a red card from referee Smith. It completely changed the feel of the game and Wednesday pulled one back not long after through McNeill, then having a spell of pressure that seemed absolutely miles away in the first half. He only gets as high a mark as this because United hung on to win but it could have cost them dearly | SUFC
7. Sydie Peck 7
Given the nod alongside Phillips and played his part in United's goal with an inch-perfect pass to find Burrows' run before he lashed home and was also amongst the first on the scene for a first-half flashpoint between Hamer and Otegbayo, letting Palmer know he couldn't take liberties on Bramall Lane turf. A late burst forward which saw him beat a couple of players before being fouled brought one of the loudest United cheers of the second half and a rendition of his name from the Kop. Could have sealed it late on when Arblaster sent him clear but Dieng saved and led the celebrations afterwards, much to Ingelsson's bizarre displeasure | UGC Photo: UGC
8. Andre Brooks 7
The wide man looked a threat every time he picked up the ball on the right and he drew an early foul from, and card for, Heskey after a mazy run saw him send Ingelsson to Man Fridays chippy on Shoreham Street. You could sense Wednesday retreating every time he got on the ball and it was a shame that he was forced to make way in a tactical reshuffle which saw Hoever play in front of Seriki before he also went off | UGC Photo: UGC