Sheffield United 3-3 Fulham
by Harry De Cosemo
at Bramall Lane

FOOTBALL is intoxicating because of its unpredictability. Rarely has that been more evident than at Bramall Lane, where Sheffield United and Fulham played out a tempestuous six-goal thriller on Saturday.

This is a story without a coherent narrative. In the first half, it looked a drab end of season affair, but with four goals in 12 second half minutes, swivelled into a potential fourth Blades win of the season. Ultimately, Fulham rallied to spoil the party, and Chris Wilder was left bemoaning yet more defensive frailties, which have told the story of a disastrous campaign.

“To score three at home and only get a draw is disappointing,” Wilder said. “But we had a game plan to get a foothold and allow our belief to grow, which we did.

“We were cautious because of what can happen in the Premier League. Fulham turned Tottenham over recently.

“In the second half the players enjoyed the ball a bit more. We were undone by a set piece again, the timing of that was unfortunate, and then two great finishes get them back into the game.”

For all the chaos, it took 37 minutes for a real opportunity to be carved out. Rodrigo Muniz, who has been a real breakout star for the Cottagers with seven league goals, turned in the area and saw a tame effort clip the post. He was first to the rebound, but blazed over from the angle.

Having conceded 21 goals in their last four home matches, the Blades will have been glad to maintain a clean sheet until half time. With just one added minute, they went close to opener, but Gustavo Hamer’s curling effort fizzed wide of Bernd Leon’s right-hand post.

Muniz hit the post moments after the restart. His looping header from Andreas Pereira’s pinpoint cross set the difference in tone that , before Sasa Lukic’s shot was blocked by Oliver Arblaster, who was left needing treatment.

Alex Iwobi was then denied by more last-ditch defending. At that stage, it felt like only a matter of time.

Punctuating Fulham’s attacks, though, were Oli McBurnie and Ben Brereton Díaz, who dovetailed well to get United up the pitch. They combined after a swift break just before the hour, with the latter slamming home the former’s cross.

Fulham hit back immediately when Joao Palinha flicked home Pereira’s corner before McBurnie re-established the home side’s lead from close range and Brereton Diaz forced a third over the line. 

The VAR check for a foul was agonising, but the Blades fans got to enjoy it again when the goal was cleared. 

McBurnie thought he’d wrapped the game up but VAR intervened for offside, and that would prove pivotal. Moments later, Bobby De Cordova Reid made it 3-2, and against a backdrop of home fury at the announcement of 14 minutes of stoppage time, Muniz volleyed home an equaliser to deny United a small bit of joy after a torrid few weeks.

Like Wilder. Fulham boss Marco Silva was left disappointed by his side’s failure to win the game.

“It was an exciting game for the people who were here," Silva said. “But it's clearly a disappointing result for us. 

“When you are dominant from the first minute like we were, and create more chances and play on the front foot and try and win the game, it's disappointing.”