8/10 men lead the way for Sheffield United in rampant victory over woeful Leicester City side amid manager sack calls

Sheffield United started 2026 in fine style as they registered an utterly dominant 3-1 victory over an abject Leicester City side at Bramall Lane this evening. Goals from Japhet Tanganga, Tom Cannon and Callum O’Hare gave United a 3-0 lead that did not flatter them.

City got on the scoresheet late on through Jordan James but it was more than they deserved after a woeful display that left sections of their supporters chanting for the head of boss Martí Cifuentes.

United won’t care a jot about that, though, as they registered another big three points with a superb, free-flowing performance in front of a home crowd who lapped it up. Here’s how we rated United on the evening...

Michael Cooper 6

He looked frustrated to not keep a clean sheet as James found a way past him from long range for the second time this season but it should not cloud a commanding performance from the United No.1, who had nothing to do in terms of saves and shots but was decisive in his decision-making every time the ball came into the United box

Femi Seriki 7

The United rookie was facing a potentially tough task in shackling the lively Mavididi down Leicester’s left but instead the first half saw him terrorise former Blade Thomas going the other way, in tandem with Brooks. The amount of times they got in down that side was frightening and the only frustration for United was that it didn’t lead to more earlier on.

He contibuted again in the second half again with a deserved assist after linking up with his former academy pal Arblaster and putting a third on a plate for O’Hare, who was sliding in to finish and it was a fitting reward for the contribution of the United No.38, who is getting better by the game

Japhet Tanganga 8

Scored his first Blades goal in almost identical fashion to the maiden strikes for his centre-half colleagues McGuinness and Bindon, rising highest to meet a corner from the right after a bit of clever movement to evade his marker.

It looked in from the moment it left his head and was no less than he deserved after a composed display which saw him and his teammates protect Cooper brilliantly whenever Leicester did try to cross the halfway line until their late consolation

Tyler Bindon 7

He and the rest of United’s defenders will be frustrated not to keep a clean sheet as James fired home from long range but that was a minor blot on the United copybook on an evening in which they simply blew Leicester away.

Before that moment he only looked in trouble in a couple of moments when he miskicked a clearance but saw it only fall as far as Cooper before he gave away a foul on the touchline as he tried to see the ball out of play and instead ended up wrestling Fatuwu to the ground

Sam McCallum 7

Back in the starting XI at Burrows’ expense despite a good showing from the latter at Stoke on Monday night, but the change made sense considering the congested fixture schedule the Blades are facing at the minute.

And it looked a justified change as he contributed to an energetic start from the Blades which strangled the life out of Leicester, with McCallum later contributing an assist with a lovely corner which found its way onto the head of Tanganga

Jairo Riedewald 7

I feel like I may as well copy and paste the rating for Riedewald in the middle of the park because his levels are so remarkably consistent and he goes about his work every week with absolutely no fuss, always knowing where to be at any given time and using the ball so intelligently. Such a key part of this United side

Djibril Soumare 7

One of the midfielder’s better displays in a United shirt in the first half as he turned intelligently a couple of times in the middle of the park and was also a physical presence out of possession, taking a whack in one challenge which perhaps inhibited him a little bit later on when Mavididi streaked away from him.

Overall though it was a positive evening for the Senegalese man in the middle of the park before he gassed out and made way for Arblaster with five minutes to go, having gone fairly close to adding his name to the scoresheet with a curling effort earlier in the game

Andre Brooks 8

Had former Blade Thomas on toast throughout the evening and picked up a deserved assist when he outmuscled Thomas on the touchline and then showed the quality to pick out Cannon for a finish into the corner for 2-0.

He also did his fair share of defensive work to help out Seriki, which the Leicester widemen could probably learn a thing or two from, before he made way to a deserved standing ovation which cemented his position as a key player for the Blades

Callum O’Hare 7.5

United’s player of the season so far added another goal to his tally with a poacher’s effort late on and before that it was a typically tireless performance as he led the press so well and again underlined his importance to this Blades XI

Patrick Bamford 7

The former Leeds man will have gone off in the second half perhaps wondering how he didn’t extend his tally in a United shirt and went closest in the first half when he was left in acres of space but saw Stolarczyk palm away his curling effort.

But he offers so much more than just a goal threat and was a constant threat to the City backline, especially Okoli who sent himself sprawling to the turf every time Bamford went anywhere near him

Tom Cannon 8

Kept his place up front after his morale-boosting goal at Stoke and justified it with another strike against his former side this season, having netted against Leicester at the King Power Stadium earlier this term.

But that wasn’t his only contribution to the evening as he pressed and harried City’s defence all evening and he was given a deserved ovation at the end as he walked away with the Sky man of the match award, with boss Wilder having a word in his ear and no doubt suggesting to Cannon that he has set the standards for himself - and the supporters have responded

Notable subs: Oliver Arblaster

Came on for Soumare late on and showed his quality with a lovely weighted pass to send Seriki clear down the right for O’Hare’s goal