Sheffield United 0-1 Everton: Gylfi Sigurdsson’s late winner sends Blues second

Everton moved up to second in the Premier League after edging a tight contest against Sheffield United at rain-lashed Bramall Lane.

It also inflicted more heartbreak on the Blades, who remain without a win and rooted to the bottom of the table.

In a game of few openings, Oliver Burke’s flashing drive represented the hosts’ best effort while Oli McBurnie steered a stoppage-time chance to rescue a point just wide.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Sigurdsson both threatened to break the deadlock for the visitors before the Iceland midfielder sealed all three points.

The victory marked Everton’s first league game since Ancelotti’s one-year anniversary at the helm and was the perfect response to the disappointment of their Carabao Cup quarter-final exit.

“These three points are very important for us,” Ancelotti said.

“When I put on Andre Gomes I put Gylfi Sigurdsson a little bit back but he found the solution.

“We feel good also because we have problems at this moment with a lot of players out but this team has a lot of spirit and this is good. I am really pleased to manage these players.

“I am really pleased because I found the right club, a nice club, a family club. I live in a nice area so after one year I can say I was lucky.”

Ancelotti’s side get the job done

While Everton looked resolute in defence and competent in midfield there was a noticeable absence of invention to their play for large periods of this encounter.

But even without James Rodriguez, who is still nursing a calf injury and Richarlison who is adhering to concussion protocols, Ancelotti’s side eventually got the job done.

After a relatively uneventful opening, which the Blades appeared to shade, Alex Iwobi’s speculative drive prompted more urgency from the Blues.

England forward Calvert-Lewin almost scored a contender for goal of the season, expertly running on to and chesting Michael Keane’s raking pass beyond Jack Robinson but then volleying just wide of the far-left corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Sigurdsson was next to go close, unloading a curling strike that just missed the top-right corner from 20 yards.

However, after the interval they displayed few signs they were capable of a winner until Sigurdsson brilliantly latched on to Abdoulaye Doucoure’s touch and dispatched a low drive past Aaron Ramsdale.

Everton have now enjoyed four consecutive wins twice in a season for the first time since the 1986-87 campaign, when they were last champions of England.

Blunt Blades lose again

Prior to Sigurdsson’s late intervention Sheffield United looked like they were going to collect only their third point of a dismal campaign.

However, like so many of their other matches this season the result did not match the level of endeavour they showed.

Collectively, Chris Wilder’s side covered over five kilometres more than their high-flying opponents but found no reward for their hard running.

They have now lost 13 of their 15 Premier League fixtures, with 10 of those defeats by a solitary goal.

But until they add goals to their game the league table is going to continue to make for uncomfortable reading for Sheffield United supporters.

Only Burnley – also with eight goals – have been as unproductive in attack as the Blades, and while they managed more shots than Everton (10-7) just two, from Oliver Burke and David McGoldrick, found the target.

While he was flagged offside McGoldrick’s scampering run past Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, appeared symbolic of their season, when his tame effort was hacked off the line by Ben Godfrey.

‘We found the right opportunity’ – what they said

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, speaking to BBC Sport: “It was the same as possibly a good dozen of the games we have played this season. It was a game of not many chances, we were playing a side bang in form but our lack of quality shone through.

“The same players that played with that momentum and belief from last year are not doing it this year. Nothing has really changed, the league hasn’t changed, Everton haven’t really changed but our team has in terms of the lack of quality we are showing this year.

“I can’t go and play the game for them. One system against the other, we changed it a little bit but for me it is the same again, it is our lack of quality that let us down.

“There will not be the possibility of bringing many players in. We are looking to add one or two bits of quality. The players who are here are good enough to step up because they did it last year but they have to find that in themselves.

“Good, experienced players who have played at this level for a season are not sticking their hand up and making my job easier.

“I’ll pack it in if I ever feel I have to motivate a side in the Premier League. That shouldn’t be my job but the players need to go and express themselves and play with a bit of belief.”

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, speaking to BBC Sport: “We defended well but also we didn’t play so well with the ball but defensively we were strong and concentrated.

“We were patient. We were in the game and stayed in the game most times, we defended pretty well and we found the right opportunity to score a goal.

“Every game is really difficult, complicated. Sheffield United are a good team, we are really pleased to be second. We didn’t expect that at the start of the season but we are there and we want to stay there.

Superb Sigurdsson – the stats

• Everton have won back-to-back away league games against Sheffield United for the first time since 1897.
• Sheffield United are now winless in 18 consecutive Premier League games (D2 L16), conceding in every match – the longest run without a victory or a clean sheet among current teams in the competition.
• Everton have won four consecutive Premier League games for the second time this season. They last had two runs of four-plus wins in a single league season in 1986-87.
• Sheffield United are the first side to end Boxing Day without a single Premier League win (D2 L13), while only QPR have gone longer without victory from the start of a season in the competition (16 games in 2012-13).
• Everton are unbeaten in their past eight away Premier League matches played on Boxing Day (W5 D3), since a 4-0 defeat at Aston Villa in 2005.
• In all competitions, Gylfi Sigurdsson has been directly involved in seven goals (three goals, four assists) in 18 appearances for Everton this season, one more than he recorded in the whole of 2019-20 (six in 38 games).
• Sheffield United have scored just four goals from 71 shots at home in the Premier League this season, the worst shot conversion rate in the competition (5.6%), while no side have scored fewer home goals.

What’s next?

Sheffield United travel to Burnley for their next Premier League fixture on Tuesday, 29 December (18:00 GMT).

Everton return to top-flight action when they welcome Manchester City to Goodison Park on Monday, 28 December (20:00).