Sheffield United’s slide into the Championship continued this afternoon with defeat at Everton, although the Blades were in the game right the way through as the hosts won 1-0. Abdoulaye Doucouré was the matchwinner for the hosts with a first-half header from former Blade Dom Calvert-Lewin’s cross, while Andre Brooks tested Jordan Pickford’s handling and Cameron Archer saw a couple of chances go to waste.
The Blades fans were in fine voice throughout in their final away game of this wretched season, ahead of next weekend’s home clash with Spurs which brings the curtain fully down. Here’s how we rated United’s players on their final ever visit to Goodison Park...
1. Wes Foderingham 6
Made a great early block to deny Doucoure a tap-in after Calvert-Lewin got the better of Trusty down the right, but wasn’t particularly convincing when Calvert-Lewin went around him and crossed for Doucoure to head home from a few yards out. Didn’t have a great deal to do otherwise apart from routine enough claims and one moment where he had to race out of his box and clear the danger. Then made a smart save deep into injury time and looked to be struggling with a knock in the aftermath | Getty Images
2. Jayden Bogle 6
Solid enough defensively and got forward when he could down the right flank but seemed to be troubled by a knock of some sort early in the second half. Ended the game at right centre-half after Sam Curtis was handed his Premier League debut at wing-back | Getty Images
3. Vini Souza 5
Recalled to the starting line-up and deployed on the right of United's back three with Ahmedhodzic suspended and Holgate ineligible against his parent club. He coped admirably enough out of position before returning to midfield after Curtis’ introduction. A lot of the usual pointing and gesticulating to his teammates, especially after Everton’s opener, without really taking any sort of control of the game himself Photo: George Wood/Getty Images
4. Auston Trusty 5
Started in the centre of United’s three-man defence and seemed to be caught in no man’s land a little as Calvert-Lewin crossed for the opener, not in a position to block the cross or challenge Doucoure in the centre. Otherwise handled the England international well enough in the air as the rest of the game played out with an end-of-season type of feel | Getty Images