Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United. Sky Bet Championship.
HillsboroughAttendance33,827.
Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Sheffield United: Rhian Brewster seals derby win to move Blades level with Championship leaders Leeds
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United at Hillsborough; Rhian Brewster's second half tap-in ensures first Steel City derby double in 17 years for the Blades
Sunday 16 March 2025 16:10, UK
Rhian Brewster earned Steel City derby spoils for Sheffield United as they earned a 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough to move level on points with Championship table toppers Leeds.
Brewster tapped home at the back post to ensure a first league double for either side since 2005/06, after Tyrese Campbell, provider on this occasion, struck the winner in the previous meeting in November.
- Championship highlights | Table | Fixtures
- All you need to know - Streaming Sky Sports with NOW | Get Sky Sports
- Download the Sky Sports App to watch every Sky Sports+ game
- Live EFL on Sky Sports+ & how to watch | Get more EFL to your phone with WhatsApp
A club record-equalling sixth straight away win for Chris Wilder's team sees them match Leeds at the summit on 80 points, having begun the season with a two-point deduction due to an EFL sanction.
However, this was a big blow to Wednesday's play-off hopes, with the defeat denying Danny Rohl's side the chance to move within three points of the top six.
The city may be covered with red and white stripes after full-time, but it was Wednesday who seemed the most likely during the early exchanges, with the Owls pinning their rivals firmly on the edge of their box.
Wilder will have his keeper, Michael Cooper, to thank as his strong hand kept out a bullet header from Michael Smith before 10 minutes had been played.
The Blades managed to grow into the game with the away end enthused by an early flashpoint that saw both Ben Brereton Diaz and Callum Paterson booked after the Wednesday man kicked the ball at his opponent while the Blades man was grounded.
The end of the first period belonged to the visitors, though, with Brereton Diaz and Brewster contributing to dangerous counters.
On one occasion before the break, Harrison Burrows whistled an effort wide, with Campbell just unable to get a touch on the ball.
The second half mirrored the first. In arguably the move of the game, Wednesday came close when Barry Bannan led a charge towards the United area, feeding in Smith who flicked the ball on smartly for Josh Windass, who took the shot first time but saw it blocked by Burrows. The Blades rode their luck once more, with Hamza Choudhury needing to get back to keep away a dangerous-looking cross from Smith.
Within minutes, Campbell drifted past Michael Ihiekwe at the other end before whipping the ball into the area and although James Beadle got a hand to it, the power on the cross meant the ball ran kindly for Brewster to net "one of the easiest goals he will ever score," according to Sky Sports' Andy Hinchcliffe.
The Wednesday spirit didn't falter, and a couple of their substitutes nearly combined for a late equaliser when Marvin Johnson's wicked volley from range, which was fumbled by Cooper, led to Svante Ingelsson knocking the ball over the bar from close range.
The Owls continued to huff and puff but the Blades made the short journey home with Steel City bragging rights firmly in their pocket.
The managers
Sheffield Wednesday's Danny Rohl:
"They have one touch in our goal then you see us and we have five or six good opportunities and we couldn't score - it's hard to take. I cannot blame my team because they invest a lot and they showed today there was not a big difference between second place and our position."
On aiming for play-offs: "I said we want to come in touch with the play-off positions. We have now eight finals which means 24 points and why not, we will be on the front foot when we are coming back [from the international break], we will try and as long as it's possible. We'll see, maybe we can surprise some people."
Sheffield United's Chris Wilder:
"I've been a Sheffield United fan all my life. They've given it to us over the years - when I came into the club in 2016 we had six years in League One, they had this superstar team that were in play-off finals and signed some incredible players and we were there and we weren't a threat.
"So, it was a big thing for me that we try change that around a little bit and wrestle some pride back into our football club and get on level terms with them since back in 2016 and edge in front of them a little bit.
I am going to enjoy it and I make no apologies for that. It's been given to us plenty of times, so maybe now other people have to take it when it's handed out.
"We've done a Sheffield double for a Sheffield boy who has got the responsibility of looking after his hometown football club. Then you add to it, trying to get to joint top in the division, having had two points knocked off. It's an insane total of points that we've got so far with 38 games."
