Swansea City 1 Sheffield United 0: Blades miss out on the chance to move to within a point of the Championship leaders

Sheffield United spurned an opportunity to climb to within touching distance of the Championship summit after being beaten by Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium.
Sheffield United faced Swansea City this eveningSheffield United faced Swansea City this evening
Sheffield United faced Swansea City this evening

Oliver McBurnie's 11th goal of the season, and his second against Chris Wilder's side this term, saw Graham Potter's team repeat August's victory over the visitors at Bramall Lane following another match of fine margins.

The finish which thwarted hopes of moving to within a point of the leaders Leeds came just past the hour, when Nathan Dyer's trickery presented McBurnie with the type of chance Championship centre-forwards rarely miss. The fact both David McGoldrick and Billy Sharp had earlier both spurned equally good ones, during United's best period of the contest, did little to calm Wilder's temper as he grew increasingly agitated.

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United changed their personnel, system and tactical approach in an effort to force themselves back into the fixture, with debutant Gary Madine among a flurry of changes during the closing stages.

But to no avail, as City ensured their opponents remained third in the table ahead of next weekend's meeting with second-placed Norwich City.

Predictably, given his team's form en route to South Wales, Wilder selected the same starting eleven which overcame Queens Park Rangers seven days ago. That mean new signings Madine and Kieran Dowell began the evening on the bench, while Potter named three former United players in his squad. 

One of those, Cameron Carter-Vickers, was summoned midway through the opening perios when Joe Rodon was forced off. Another, Dyer, was a Chris Basham interception away from releasing McBurnie while Kyle Naughton was also involved in the interchange.

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A lengthy delay, caused by an injury to Mike van der Hoorn, prevented with side from gathering any sort of momentum until the 22nd minute although both sets of supporters were in boisterous mood throughout.

David McGoldrick nearly squeezed his way through what appeared an impossibly small gap in City's defence during the early exchanges but the Dutchman, now recovered from the awkward fall which required nearly four minutes of treatment, stepped across to steal the ball. Soon after, George Baldock shot over the crossbar from long-range when John Fleck's corner was only half cleared. But, for the most part, City managed to keep United at arms-length. Although there was a sense, by the time Billy Sharp's close-range effort was cleared by Erwin Mulder, that the questions they were being posed were growing increasingly tough.So predictably, in this supposedly unpredictable division, the next opportunity fell to City with Bersant Celina flashing a centre across the six yard box which simply begged to be turned home. Fortunately for United, no member of the opposition was in the mood oblige.

McGoldrick was equally generous just before half-time when, stooping to meet Mark Duffy's perfectly flighted pass between van der Hoorn and Carter-Vickers, he headed wide of the near post.

The breakthrough came in the 65th minute when City, improving after the interval, took the lead through McBurnie. 

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Sliding home from close range, the former Barnsley loanee wheeled away in celebration after prodding the ball beyond a helpless Dean Henderson. But his first instinct should have been to congratulate Dyer, whose invention and delivery had created the chance.

Swansea City: Mulder, van der Hoorn, Fer, McBurnie, Celina, Dyer (Fulton 82), Routhledge (James46), Grimes, Rodon (Carter-Vickers 20), Roberts, Naughton. Not used: Nordfelt, Montero, McKay, Baker-Richardson.

Sheffield United: Henderson, Basham, Egan, O'Connell, Baldock, Stevens, Norwood, Fleck (Madine 74), Duffy, Sharp, McGoldrick (Clarke 82). Not used: Moore, Coutts, Stearman, Johnson.

Referee: John Brooks (Leicestershire).