Sheffield United vs Tottenham Hotspur. Premier League.
Bramall Lane.
Report and highlights as Sheffield United win for the first time since the restart
Friday 3 July 2020 06:10, UK
Sander Berge, Lys Mousset and Oli McBurnie fired Sheffield United to a 3-1 win over Tottenham, as Spurs were left fuming after a VAR call denied Harry Kane an equaliser.
Sheffield United were infamously denied a goal at Tottenham in November when John Lundstram's toe was judged offside but roles were reversed on Thursday when, trailing to Berge's opener (31), Kane's strike was disallowed by VAR for a Lucas Moura handball in the build-up.
It was a decision Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp labelled as "horrendous" and Spurs never really got back on track, with Mousset (69) and McBurnie (84) capitalising on defensive lapses in the second-half before Kane (90) eventually tapped-in a consolation.
Sheffield United were without a number of first-team players due to injury but their impressive return to form - and their first Premier League goals and points since the restart - lifted them up to seventh with six games to play, five points behind Manchester United in fifth. Meanwhile, Spurs's hopes of a Champions League qualifying spot are fading away as they slip to ninth.
Sheffield United had conceded six in their last two games but were far tighter in the opening period, limiting Spurs to half-chances for Heung-min Son and Kane early on before Moussa Sissoko fired a tame shot at Dean Henderson after the drinks break and Kane blasted a free-kick over from a good position.
The hosts then made that defensive work count when record signing Berge picked up Chris Basham's cut-back and angled his first Premier League shot on target and his first goal for the club past Hugo Lloris into the far corner.
Then came controversy just two minutes later when Lucas Moura burst forward and the ball broke to Kane when the Brazilian was tumbled. Despite Kane clipping a left-foot shot past Henderson the effort was ruled out when a VAR check determined Lucas' arm had brushed the ball as he hit the deck.
Jose Mourinho was less than impressed on the touchline - feeling his side should have had a free-kick at least - and was given a warning from the fourth official for his protests. Moments later his mood wasn't improved when Oliver Norwood escaped a red card when he caught Son with his arm as they challenged for a high ball.
Tottenham finished the half on the front foot, with Norwood blocking Giovani Lo Celso's shot, but the visitors struggled to find a way through after the interval, with Sheffield United close to doubling their lead on 61 minutes when David McGoldrick fired into the side-netting.
That was McGoldrick's last act before being subbed off for Mousset and his replacement was perfectly placed in the six-yard box to turn in Enda Stevens' pass moments after coming on, as Spurs left the striker completely unmarked.
Kane had the ball in the net twice more, first when he was rightly flagged offside and then after the whistle had blown for his push on a defender, but at the other end more woeful marking allowed McBurnie to clip home Berge's ball across the box to make it three.
Kane finally got on the scoresheet in injury-time, prodding home from close range, but it had come far too late.
Chris Wilder, Sheffield United: "I'll sleep tonight. I sensed after a decent performance against Arsenal on Sunday that we were showing signs of recapturing the form that got us into the position pre-lockdown. But there's no getting away from it, it was a really good performance and a big three points for us.
"The shape of the side was good. We limited an excellent side at the top of the pitch to not a huge amount of opportunities and when we broke it up we played, created some decent chances and were clinical."
Jose Mourinho, Tottenham: "I'd like to but I can't say what I think, I'll be in trouble. I'll be suspended. I don't want to be. The one here is not the referee. The referee is hidden in some office. The referee is there. This man on the pitch is not the referee. He doesn't make the decisions. The main decisions in football now are made by the man in the office. I don't speak with the assistant referee that was today with the whistle on the pitch.
"That's the reality. I'm not telling anything that we football people know. The linesman makes a decision but of course technology made the decision in the office where they are. The decision on penalties, the decision on handballs, free-kicks. Everything is not made by the referee on the pitch, the referee on the pitch is not the referee."
Wilder's men play Burnley on Sunday (kick off 12pm) while Tottenham are back in action on Monday evening against Everton, both games are live on Sky Sports.
