Sheffield United 4-0 Stoke City: Patrick Bamford scores again as Chris Wilder's Blades secure fourth straight win

Sheffield United's revival continued as they emphatically beat Stoke 4-0 at Bramall Lane.

First-half goals from Mark McGuinness, Femi Seriki and Patrick Bamford paired with a Sydie Peck penalty made it four wins from four Championship games for the Blades.

The hosts were on the front foot from the off and got their first goal after 10 minutes. Gustavo Hamer whipped his corner straight on to the head of McGuinness for his first goal for the Blades.

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Junior Tchamadeu hit a right-foot drive from 25 yards, but the effort was blocked by a defender and claimed comfortably by Michael Cooper.

McGuinness could have added to his goal tally; the Stoke defence were not learning their lesson as he got his head on the next couple of United corners.

The visitors had two chances in a matter of seconds, first Bae Jun-ho's goalbound header was cleared away, but only as far as Eric Bocat whose fizzing drive flew just over the crossbar.

Potters goalkeeper Viktor Johansson had to get down low to his left to push behind Andre Brooks' attempt from inside the penalty area.

Seriki doubled the Blades' lead in the 40th minute with an absolute stunner. The ball fell to the wing-back just outside the box, he skipped past Million Manhoef and curled a beauty past Johansson and into the top right corner.

Bamford got his second goal in two home games to put the hosts 3-0 up. Peck played in Seriki down the right and his cross was met brilliantly by the striker, who planted his header far out of Johansson's reach.

Hamer nearly got on the scoresheet as he forced Johansson to tip over his curling effort from the edge of the area.

The Potters came closest to getting one back when Divin Mubama met Tchamadeu's cross, but he saw his header kept out at point-blank range by Cooper before Manhoef's follow-up was blocked.

The Blades made the points safe in the 77th minute from the penalty spot. Andre Brooks was fouled in the box after a clever flick from Tyrese Campbell and Peck slotted his penalty down the middle to put real gloss on the scoreline.

The hosts could have scored more, but four proved to be plenty.

Sheffield United move up to 18th following the victory, whilst Stoke slip down to sixth in the Sky Bet Championship table.

The managers

Sheffield United's Chris Wilder:

"I think it was an outstanding performance today. We knew we had to be good today and we were; Stoke are where they are in the league for a reason.

"People will see our result today and think if we win our next couple we'll be back to our best, but it doesn't work like that, you have to be absolutely on it at all times.

"We are a team who should be in the top half of the division. We aren't at the moment, but we're climbing up the table and we're trying to get there.

"Every game is a big opportunity for us. I just want to win and I want the players to crave that winning feeling. If it doesn't come, accept it, deal with the disappointment and go again.

"This is a decent little period for us and we should enjoy it, but we can't take our foot off the gas and we shouldn't get carried away with ourselves. We've achieved nothing yet.

"You have to be bold in your approach to play for this football club; you are going to be tested. This league is ridiculously unpredictable, but I don't want us to be.

"We have a tough game against Norwich on Tuesday where we'll be looking to reproduce what we've done today."

Stoke's Mark Robins:

"Today's performance was way below our expectations; we were physically and mentally second best all afternoon.

"We conceded from the corner and we were bullied from that point onwards which is really disappointing because I felt we looked a threat before that.

"We inexplicably lost our composure on the ball and we didn't compete well enough. We weren't good enough in and out of possession which is the first time I've said that in a long time.

"Sheffield United were always going to turn it around with Chris coming back in. They didn't start the season so well, but this is a side that were in the play-offs last season.

"If we can't compete against the likes of United we won't be around the top end of the table come the end of the season. If we start taking things for granted in this league we will stop winning games of football.

"Don't get me wrong, the lads have been brilliant all season. After this kind of performance people want you to hammer the players and sometimes managers pile in to protect themselves, but this is my team and I take responsibility.

"This one came out of the blue and it stings. We know this is a mental league where this can happen to anybody, but the good thing is we have another game coming up where we can show a reaction."

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