Fours and fives in Sheffield United player ratings tell sorry story of FA Cup exit as Mansfield Town cause upset with 3/10 man struggling

Sheffield United tumbled out of the FA Cup at the third-round stage after they were beaten on home soil by Nigel Clough’s Mansfield Town this afternoon. The Blades found themselves 4-1 down at one stage before a late fightback set up a dramatic finish in an ultimate 4-3 loss.

United made 10 changes for the game but their starting XI should have still had more than enough quality to see off the League One Stags, who enjoyed a memorable afternoon at Bramall Lane and booked their place in the round-four draw.

Here’s how we rated United’s players on the day...

Adam Davies 4

Between the posts for a rare appearance in place of Cooper, who’s nursing a shoulder issue and he was the busiest of the two goalkeepers in the first half at least, making a couple of smart stops to deny the lively Oates before Reed found a way past him with a couple of long-range efforts.

In fairness there seemed little that Davies could do about either, the first arrowing into his far corner and the second taking a wicked deflection off Arblaster just in front of him, before he was left exposed for Town’s third and fourth as well, although Oates finished with ease past him after getting the better of Mee and Davies gave up his near post

Ki-Jana Hoever 5

An instant debut for the on-loan Wolves man after he arrived earlier this week and there were some brief glimpses of his quality going forward after a slow start, and also a few of his ring-rustiness after a spell on the sidelines at Wolves. Replaced by Seriki and he’ll no doubt get better as he settles in but this was an inauspicious start for the most part

Mark McGuinness 4

Back in the side as one of 10 changes with Tanganga given a rest but the concession of four goals against a League One side, albeit one in decent form, suggests it was not a successful afternoon for any member of United’s defence.

He was a threat in the other penalty area with his height but twice got on the end of corners and failed to get any meaningful contact on the ball, with his head in his hands suggesting he knew it could be a big chance for the Blades

Ben Mee 3

The left centre-half made a welcome return from a troublesome hand injury that has opened up the door for first McGuinness and latterly Tyler Bindon, and Wilder will face an intriguing selection dilemma between the pair for this weekend’s trip to Charlton.

But Mee may have made it a little easier with a rusty display which first saw him turned inside and then out by Oates before he fired goalwards and Davies saved. Then he couldn’t deal with the ball well enough to prevent Oates from scoring and he looked very much like a player who’s had a spell on the sidelines and is feeling his way back into it.

There was a late injury concern for the veteran as well as he went down with an issue of unknown origin before he returned with a fresh shirt and a head bandage on to see out the game

Harrison Burrows 4.5

The left-back has been the subject of a rather random transfer link with Turkish side Trabzonspor this week but he was in the starting line-up here and was a threat down the left where he got in some great positions and saw a couple of dangerous low crosses either cut out or, in the case of Chong, firing just wide

He had another decent chance in the second half, on his right foot, but at other times his delivery evaded him, especially one cross in acres of space which was ballooned well over the waiting United men in the middle. Defensively he was caught out of position a few times too, putting pressure on Mee

Oliver Arblaster 5

Some more valuable minutes for the boyhood Blade in the middle of the park and he did it with the captain’s armband around his left bicep, showing his undoubted class despite his lack of consistent match fitness with a superbly weighted pass to pick out Burrows down the left for a Chong chance

But neither he nor Soumare could establish any real dominance on a frantic game which saw United play in front of Mansfield for much of the first half before midfield was bypassed almost entirely in the second as the goals kept on coming.

He got the unfortunate last touch on Reed’s second goal to deflect it past Davies before a misplaced pass late on drew groans of frustration from Arblaster and fans, and that was his last action as he was replaced by Riedewald. Another 83 minutes in the tank will be big for him in the long term but the immediate feeling will have been one of frustration at defeat in the cup

Djibril Soumare 4

The only survivor from the New Year’s Day win over Leicester City and he couldn’t recapture his dominance in phases of that game here, despite a couple of neat turns in the middle of midfield.

It’s understandable given the disjointed nature of the United centre pairing but you wondered if they could have moved the ball a little bit quicker to try and break down Mansfield’s stubborn resistance

Tahith Chong 4

The former Luton man is another in need of minutes after a stop-start beginning to his Blades career and he lined up on the right, going close to marking his return with a goal as he fired just wide from Burrows’ good cross. Some decent moments on the ball but too few and far between from a Blades perpsective before he was replaced

Gus Hamer 6

United’s key man has been on the bench of late but came into the side here on the left and showcased his undoubted quality once again with an absolute worldie of an effort which flew past Roberts and into the top corner of his net before he really had chance to process what had happened.

There was a signalling of his intention earlier on when he let fly with a stinging effort tht had Roberts worried before it went over his crossbar and the sighter did Hamer well when he had another go.

He didn’t stop trying to make something else happen in the game but was frustrated in his efforts to have further influence on the game, although he earns an extra point for his strike that was undoubtedly the only high point of the game from a United perspective

Danny Ings 4

Had an early chance when Hamer found him intelligently with a header back but Sweeney threw himself in the way of the effort and that was as good as it got for the former England international as he struggled to make any real impact beyond that before he was replaced by Bamford, whose introduction led to United looking much better from an attacking point of view

Tyrese Campbell 4.5

Went into the game without a goal in seven, going back to his derby double at Hillsborough in November, and that run continued as the Blades tumbled out of the FA Cup at the first stage. He spent most of the game chasing balls down the flanks and doing a lot of unselfish work and when his chance of the game came, right at the end, a brilliant block from Sweeney denied him and ensured his side stayed in front.

Subs: Brooks, T. Davies, Seriki, Riedewald, Bamford