Sheffield United 0-5 Brighton
by Harry De Cosemo
at Bramall Lane

NO TEAM has conceded more than Sheffield United’s 64 goals at this stage of a Premier League season. That is just one of the reasons Blades fans left Bramall Lane after their 5-0 defeat to Brighton devoid of any hope.

Weeks on from their 5-2 FA Cup defeat to the Seagulls, they were torn apart again. This time, thanks to Facundo Buonanotte, Danny Welbeck, a Jack Robinson own goal and a Simon Adingra brace, fresh from winning the African Cup of Nations in his homeland with Ivory Coast.

Sheffield United’s day started with a sending off for a horror challenge on Kaoru Mitoma by defender Mason Holgate, and got worse from there.

Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi was very complimentary of his wingers after the game, and says it’s key they stay fit for the remainder of the season.

“We were lucky because playing without Mitoma and Adingra, we’d have faced a big problem,” he said. 

“In the winger position we try to go one on one, and with them it is better because of their characteristics.

“Adingra won the African Cup [and that has helped him]. We are playing months without Julio Enciso, there was an injury to Ansu Fati, Tariq Lamptey is an important player.

“I want to fight and compete with a complete squad. I want to feel the responsibility to pick the first XI.”

Adingra looked like being the chief threat when almost instigated an opening goal when his cross was almost diverted in by Anel Ahmedhodzic, only for Wes Foderingham’s intervention.

If it wasn’t already ominous, Holgate’s red card on 13 minutes made laid their task bare. The VAR check was swift and emphatic; it felt like there was a long way back from there.

Just seven minutes later, Buonanotte opened the scoring. This goal wasn’t as impressive as his strike from the cup game, but every bit as important as he forced a corner over the line after Lewis Dunk headed it across goal.

By now, the home fans were focusing their energy squarely on the referee, unhappy with his handling of the opening exchanges. Danny Welbeck quickly added a Brighton second, smashing home the rebound after Foderingham parried Mitoma’s header from a tight angle.

Just before the break, the drama and confusion ramped up further. Ben Osborn thought he had halved the deficit when he hooked in from close range, but referee Stuart Atwell disallowed the goal after a check on the VAR monitor with Osborn seemingly in an offside position.

In truth, the second half lacked any sort of intensity, such was the lack of belief coursing through the home fans and players. Any lingering doubts were extinguished when Robinson deflected Mitoma’s cross into his own net.

Adingra didn’t wait long to add a fourth and wrap up the afternoon. The coolness of his volley showed just how easy it had been. His second and Brighton’s fifth, deflected in off unfortunate substitute Austin Trusty.

After that win against Luton last week, Sheffield United had something to build on. Now, any sense of a great escape feels more like mission impossible.