4s and 5s in Sheffield United ratings as Plymouth loss leaves automatic promotion hopes dangling by a thread
Sheffield United player ratings v Plymouth Argyle
Sheffield United’s automatic promotion hopes took another significant dent as they slipped to their third successive defeat against Plymouth Argyle this afternoon. The Blades took the lead through Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and looked good value for a three points that could put their Premier League hopes back on track.
But they couldn’t see it out as goals from Ryan Hardie and then Mustapha Tijani sealed a vital victory for relegation-threatened Argyle, leaving the Blades five points behind Leeds United and Burnley with just four games of the season remaining.
Here’s how we rated the Blades’ players on another desperately disappointing afternoon...
Michael Cooper 5
Made an emotional return to Home Park for the first time since leaving in the summer for Bramall Lane and earned an early ironic cheer from the home fans when he ballooned his first touch out of play on the right touchline, but he has such a good mentality and was never likely to let that faze him too much.
He was out of his area quickly to snuff out a chance for the home side down their right and everything he had to deal with in the first half, he did with the usual competence. He gave United something of a concern in the second half as he went down for some treatment but conceded twice before the end, unable to keep out Hardie’s scuffed effort despite getting a touch and then beaten by Tijani’s clinical finish
Harry Clarke 5
Back in the side from the start after his recent injury absence with a foot issue and showed some understandable signs of ring-rust with a couple of heavy touches as he looked to get forward and support Rak-Sakyi.
There were some good defensive instincts shown midway through the first half to boot the ball away as the ball bounced awkwardly in the United penalty box and with Hardie lurking with intent. He was less sharp in the second half when he fouled sub Tijani moments after he was introduced and he was taken off shortly after, replaced by Seriki
Anel Ahmedhodzic 4
Struggled to deal with balls into the box in the last couple of games and it proved United’s undoing here, with what looked like three points and then one suddenly becoming none after Hardie poked home and then Tijani completed the comeback
Jack Robinson 4
Didn’t do enough to snuff out the danger when he battled Bundo for a bouncing ball and was then turned by the Plymouth No.15 who looked to shoot before the returning Souza got his skipper out of trouble with a superb sliding challenge as Bundo looked to pull the trigger when face-to-face with Cooper.
From the resulting corner, Hardie equalised and then later on Robinson looked to have done enough when he flicked a cross clear but it only went as far as Tijani, who had all the time in the world to pick his spot and fire what could be a seismic winner for both sides’ seasons
Harrison Burrows 5
Got forward a couple of times early on but couldn’t find a United shirt in the middle with his cross. Couldn’t do enough to prevent Hardie dragging the home side level before the devastating blow of Tijani’s winner
Vini Souza 6
Returned to the side as one of five changes and put himself about in midfield early on from a physical perspective, harshly penalised for a couple of fouls but showed his qualities by regaining the ball almost at ease with his physicality. He played in a deeper, “No.6” type role with Peck and Hamer a little further advanced.
And he was at his defensive best when Bundu looked to get his side level after turning Robinson, before the Brazilian slid in and took the ball perfectly. He went down with cramp in the aftermath and could barely walk as he made way off the pitch, with Choudhury on to replace him. He had not even got to the other side of the United net and his side were pegged back
Sydie Peck 5.5
A typically energetic display in midfield but he seemed a little frantic at times in possession, surrendering the ball a couple of times and screaming into the Devon air in frustration as a result. He was unlucky not to pick up a brilliant assist after a lovely turn in the middle of the park before sending Rak-Sakyi free, but his effort was saved by Hazard
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi 7
Given a rare chance of late down the right hand side after a spell starting on the bench and boy did he make it count, cutting inside Ogbeta onto his left foot and curling a superb finish into the top corner to give the Blades a much-needed lead.
It was especially sweet for the Palace loanee after a bit of rough treatment both on the pitch and in the stands when he went down for some treatment, with Pleguezuelo going face-to-face with him for some reason after sliding in to the youngster to give away a corner.
Before then he was always a threat wide on the right, with United opting to attack down that side more often than down the left, and he had a great running battle with Pleguezuelo who will have been a relieved man when the wide-man was replaced by Brereton Diaz
Callum O’Hare 5
Returned to the starting XI in place of Brewster and played out on the left as United opted for some real width in their side, which wouldn’t have been his ideal afternoon but he fulfilled his role diligently and selflessly for the good of the team with some nice flicks helping link some attacks for the Blades.
Gus Hamer 5
Played in a deeper, central role rather than his usual roaming left-wing position and it seemed to limit him a little in terms of his involvement in the game, although he did pick up an assist for Rak-Sakyi’s goal after picking him out in space on the right with a good pass.
Some other good moments, including a lovely pass to send Brereton Diaz free as he screamed for the return, but he couldn’t have the impact on the game he or United would have hoped for
Tom Cannon 4
The £10m man went into the game still looking for his first goal in United colours since his arrival from Leicester and a total of six touches in the entire first half shows that he was on the periphery of it.
Sometimes the stats don’t tell the entire story, however, and there were so many occasions when he made an intelligent run down the side of his centre-half but either wasn’t seen or wasn’t fed with the ball at the right time or in the right way. He finished the game with 11 touches after being replaced by Moore and at the time he went off United had the game in their grasp
Subs: Tyrese Campbell 4
Came on late in the game and had a golden chance to win it after Plymouth’s equaliser when Hamer sent him clear in space, but his touch was poor and it sent him wide and he could only hit the side-netting with his effort. Moments later, Plymouth scored their winner and United’s automatic promotion hopes took another real, real hammering
Also used: Moore, Brereton Diaz, Choudhury, Seriki