Cheap goals and no excuses: Tired Sheffield United left chasing shadows and their pre-lockdown form as Man Utd breeze to victory

In one corner stood Manchester United - serial trophy winners, lavish spenders and the Premier League’s most efficient money making machine. And then, peering suspiciously at them across Old Trafford’s perfectly manicured pitch, was Sheffield United - a team which viewed trips to Bradford and Bolton as highlights of the season before climbing out English football’s third tier three years ago.

The match was like pitting Kell Brook against Tyson Fury. Or asking a “Ford Fiesta” to outrun a “Ferrari” as Wilder had preferred to put it 48 hours earlier.

A glance at the table, however, brought one of boxing’s favourite maxims to mind. With only two points between them at kick-off, the size of the dog doesn’t settle fights. It’s the size of the fight in the dog.

United had no shortage of desire during a swelteringly hot evening. But what they lacked, particularly with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side displaying their prowess on the counter-attack, was the attention to detail and searing turn of pace required to prompt a change of tactics from the Norwegian. Lys Mousset, presumably introduced to provide exactly that, failed to reappear for the start of the second-half after succumbing to injury.

“The goals we conceded were ridiculously cheap,” Wilder said, after watching Anthony Martial hit all three. “I’m not interested in excuses. They were basic errors. You see the moment and the ability the players up top have got here and so you’ve got to defend at your best. So to keep giving the ball away, and to defend in that manner, is very disappointing.”

Travelling to the North-West with a squad depleted by injury, suspension and in the case of Dean Henderson, rules prohibiting on-loan players from facing their parent clubs, it suited Wilder to peddle his ‘David versus Goliath’ narrative and tell anyone who cared to listen, following Sunday’s defeat by Newcastle, that United were “on the ropes.” Privately, though, you suspect he didn’t believe a word.

The visitors’ rapid journey through the divisions, made without the assistance of a billionaire benefactor, reveals something about their character and appetite for a challenge. Likewise, until ‘Project Restart’ was triggered last week, a ridiculously impressive body of work since being promoted from the Championship 14 months ago. United are at their best, Wilder knows better than anyone, when they’re written off, disregarded and told they’ve just accepted an impossible mission.

The only trouble was, shorn of some of their most influential performers, that’s what their latest assignment became when Martial claimed his second just before the interval.

“Even in an empty stadium, you need a foothold in the game,” Wilder continued. “To concede after seven minutes, it puts us on the back foot. If you keep conceding possession to quality players then you’re going to get hurt.

“We thought ‘Let’s get in at 1-0 down’ because it could have been worse and we’re still in it. So we concede a minute before half-time. From our point of view, we’ve got a lot to look at.”

“We should have scored more goals,” Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Manchester United manager, said. “It’s always worrying when you go in at half-time knowing that’s the case. But I was really pleased with the way we pressed and stopped Sheffield United from playing. We did what we did and made it difficult for them to get out.”

Unbeaten in six before the Covid-19 pandemic brought competition grinding to a half in March, United have struggled to rediscover their trademark rhythm and momentum since returning to action.

After controversially being forced to settle for a draw at Aston Villa - where a Hawkeye and VAR inspired omnishambles denied Oliver Norwood a winning goal - they looked a pale shadow of their usual selves en route to another 3-0 loss at St James’ Park. The break has suited some top-flight sides. United are not among them. Nor, given the fact they unashamedly wear their hearts on their sleeves, do they look particularly comfortable inside empty stadia. Once so creative, they have averaged only one shot on target per game over the course of the last three outings. In these conditions, matches become tests of pure ability alone rather than ability allied with emotion.

“We looked pretty tired out there, which I suppose is understandable when you are chasing around after the ball,” Wilder said. “Whether it’s back to basics or whatever, we’ve got to find an answer pretty quickly because I don’t want us to fall off a cliff.”

“In the end, it turned into a difficult night for our football club and a pretty easy one for them,” Wilder added.

Goalless and wilting... Sheffield United robbed of their rhythm as Anthony Martial runs riot for Man Utd

Bookended by strikes from Martial, the first half proved a dispiriting experience for United. The second was a stroll for the hosts. The Frenchman’s opener came when he reacted faster than Chris Basham to Marcus Rashford’s cross. The second will also have been far too simple for Wilder’s liking - with Martial, now enjoying his most profitable season in English football, again getting in front of a defender to meet Aaron Wann-Bissaka’s centre.

From that moment on, as you would expect, the fixture became something of a stroll for Solskjaer’s men. Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba, who impressed alongside the Portuguese, pinged the ball around in front of a United midfield which lost Norwood during the interval. With Mousset hobbling and Richairo Zivkovic not introduced until just after the hour, Manchester United also felt comfortable effectively playing with four men in attack and continuing to press high upfield.

As United toiled and inevitably tired, it was no surprise to see them concede a third with Martial completing his first career hat-trick after combining with Pogba and Fernandes. It was also the first ever league hat-trick scored by a Manchester United player since 2013.

“He’s getting into the right positions more,” Solskjaer said, lavishing praise on Martial. “He’s been working hard and he’s in good form.”

Manchester United: De Gea, Lindelof, Maguire, Pogba (Pereira 80), Martial (Ighalo 80), Rashford (James 80), Fernandes (McTominay 80), Shaw, Greenwood (Mata 80), Wan-Bissaka, Matic. Not used: Romero, Bailey, Fred, Williams.

Sheffield United: Moore, Baldock, Stevens, Robinson, Jagielka, Basham, Norwood (Berge 46), Fleck, Lundstram, McGoldrick (Zivkovic 65), Mousset (McBurnie 46). Not used: Verrips, L Freeman, Sharp, K Freeman, Osborn, Rodwell.

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).