8.5/10 "kid in playground" leads Sheffield United player ratings v Coventry City as Blades go back top

Gus Hamer haunted his former club Coventry City and Rhian Brewster built on his iconic Steel City derby winner against Wednesday last time out as Sheffield United beat the Sky Blues 3-1 at Bramall Lane to move back to the top of the Championship table. The result puts a bit of pressure on their rivals Leeds United and Burnley, who have the chance to respond tomorrow.

United began brightly and went ahead through a stunner from Hamer, who picked himself up after being fouled and smashed home a stunning free-kick into the top corner of the City net. Top scorer Tyrese Campbell doubled the Blades’ lead from Femi Seriki’s cross/shot and United could have been four up at the break, with Campbell seeing a couple of chances kept out.

City began the second half brighter and the third goal felt crucial, falling to the Blades as Brewster swept home in front of the Kop after a good move. Here’s how we rated the Blades’ players on an evening to remember at the Lane...

Michael Cooper 5

Made his first proper save almost exactly on the hour mark as Wright got a rare bit of space and tested the United goalkeeper with a well-struck shot, but he was as unflappable as ever and held onto it comfortably.

Didn’t cover himself in glory in the final minutes as he came for a corner and didn’t get there, although he claimed he was fouled as Rudoni poked home. He’s certainly still in credit, though

Femi Seriki 7.5

Kept his place after a good display last time out at Hillsborough but was less composed from the start here, running the ball out of play a few times on the right wing. But his unpredictability is also a major threat and he found himself in a good position from Hamer’s pass, riding a challenge and keeping the ball before a cross/shot saw him pick up an assist as Campbell diverted home for 2-0.

Wowed the crowd in the second half with a brilliant driving run that saw his shot blocked after he shifted onto his left foot and the 21-year-old is just fun to watch. You don’t know what you’re going to get half the time - you suspect he himself isn’t sure what’s going to happen next at times - but it’s sure entertaining as he drives at players with that fearlessness of youth

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Anel Ahmedhodzic 8

A few more eyes than usual may have been on him after what happened in the return game between these two sides, when he was sent off after falling for the old three-card trick from Norman Bassette, but he was absolutely colossal here, winning almost everything that came his way either in the air or on the deck. Especially impressive considering he’s fasting, too

Jack Robinson 8

A typical no-nonsense display from the skipper, who did everything asked of him with the minimum of fuss. He and the rest of United’s defence had a relatively easy time of it in the first half but had to be switched on when Coventry stepped things up after the break, and they did a brilliant job of protecting Cooper in goal

Harrison Burrows 6

Got forward when he could, advancing in a central position early in the second half as United enjoyed a rare break, but defensively still a bit of a concern as Sakamoto got the better of him a couple of times when the left-back turned his back and allowed the Coventry man the upper hand. In the positive column was a lovely pass to pick out Campbell in the build-up to Brewster’s goal

Sydie Peck 8

Fresh from a goal on England U20 duty and was left banging the turf in frustration at not getting one for the Blades in the first half, after Campbell’s mishit shot fell kindly to him but he scuffed his own effort. The young midfielder had started the move with a superb pass out to the right to send Brereton Diaz free and had another good chance for his first Blades goal in the second half, but saw it deflected wide.

Typified United’s approach inside the last 10 minutes as he battled for a loose ball as though United’s season depended on it, rather than the Blades being 3-0 up. Although it wasn’t his normal type of game in terms of getting on the ball and dictating play, it was another positive display from a young man who will be learning so much by the week

Hamza Choudhury 8

Started in midfield despite a gruelling 10,000-mile trip around the world on international duty and it looked to have caught up with him a little early on here as he overran the ball needlessly when Campbell was free, and then strangely ducked under a ball that one imagines he thought was bouncing through to ‘keeper Cooper but instead threatened to send Coventry striker Wright free on goal.

Went close in the second half after the ball broke to him on the edge of the box, sub goalie Collins touching over his effort with fans on the Kop on their feet ready to celebrate a fourth Blades goal. Back in more familiar territory soon after to block a well-struck effort from Sheaf with his head, taking a standing count and some treatment afterwards

Ben Brereton Diaz 6

Started on the right wing and had a glorious chance to make United’s good start to the game an even better one as Brewster and Campbell combined again for the latter to find the Chilean international in space haring down the right, but his touch was poor and forced him wide as the opportunity went begging.

There were some more sloppy moments on the ball but he showed good ambition and awareness to tee up Brewster for 3-0, and then saw yellow for his part in a mini-melee that threatened to erupt when Allen scythed down Brewster. United have been fined a few times already this season and seemed to have learned their lesson as things de-escalated before they could reach the levels of the last clash between these two sides earlier in the season

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Rhian Brewster 8

Kept his place in the No.10 role after his Hillsborough winner, preferred over former Coventry man Callum O’Hare, and that iconic goal seemed to have done his confidence a world of good with a really good first-half display. Brewster got on the ball and spread it nicely, linking up well with Campbell and seeing one left-footed effort sail wide of goal when normally he may not have had the belief to have a go from that angle.

Kept plugging away and got his reward just after the hour mark after a great move involving Burrows, Campbell, Brewster himself and then Brereton Diaz, who teed up the former Liverpool man to sweep into the Coventry net for 3-0 and to give the Blades a bit of comfort after a decent Coventry second-half spell had just sent a few nerves jangling.

Gus Hamer 8.5

Started against his former club and opened the scoring right in front of the thousands who used to worship him in the Midlands, curling a ridiculous free-kick right into the top corner with Dovin only able to get the slightest of touches as the ball arrowed past him.

He refused to properly celebrate out of respect to his former employers but it was a goal worth cherishing, with Hamer having won the free-kick in the first place with a brilliant driving run that was only crudely ended by Thomas, who was deservedly booked. Kept driving forward right to the end, even with the game done and dusted, with the feel of a kid playing in the playground

Tyrese Campbell 8

Looked bright from the start as he occupied the spaces down the side of City’s centre-halves and worked the channels, having an early disagreement with City’s Grimes and then almost repeating his derby-day link up with Brewster as he found the striker in space on the edge of the box, but his effort was blocked.

Campbell got the rewards for his hard work soon after in the first half when he tapped home Seriki’s cross/shot with a wonderful, instinctive first-time finish before he was penalised for a challenge on Oliver Dovin that looked pretty innocuous at first, but then resulted in the Coventry ‘keeper being stretchered off with his head in his hands.

Went close to a second just before the break as he miskicked his first effort and then flicked on Peck’s own miskicked effort, but sub ‘keeper Collins was equal to it to parry it behind.

Subs: Callum O’Hare

Came on for Campbell, after being roundly booed by Coventry fans and almost shut them up when a bit of space opened up for him, but his effort was deflected over the bar. Had a couple of good openings after that but just couldn’t find the space for the shot he so obviously craved

Tom Cannon

Replaced Brewster and looked like the moment may have arrived for him to get off the mark for the Blades when he was sent free by X, but he couldn’t get the ball out of his feet quickly enough and Coventry’s defenders recovered in time to snuff out the chance. Left Brereton Diaz fuming when United had a late break and he was in acres of space but Cannon elected to shoot from long distance and the chance went begging. Looked desperate to impress and snatched at a couple of other efforts too