The Blades missed the chance to go top of the Championship after an incredible evening at Villa Park. United had completely controlled most of the game but then after a Billy Sharp hat trick, the Blades seemed set for a comfortable win. Sadly, a Dean Henderson error soon was followed by another goalkeeping mistake and then amazingly Andre Green headed home in the 94th minutes to salvage the most unlikely of points. United players looked absolutely shell shocked on the final whistle and could not believe they had thrown away what looked an easy win.

Manager Chris Wilder switched things around once again and went with Madine and Dowell instead of Duffy and McGoldrick. Washington was back on the bench but again no place in the match day squad for Coutts. Villa went with an 5-2-3-1 formation with El Ghazi and Kodjia out wide supporting prolific front man Abraham. Dangerman Jack Grealish was deemed not fit enough to start but Villa had a wealth of talent on the bench and a squad that dwarves United in terms of financial outlay.

The game began with United kicking towards the Holte End in their fluorescent change strip and were roaring out of the blocks. O’Connell made a forceful tackle on El Ghazi and then Mings did likewise as Madine hit the deck.

The Blades settled down and were playing some good early stuff. Sharp won a foul on Mings but the floated effort from Fleck was cleared by the Villa defence. Baldock was getting forward at every opportunity and twice he was in down the right. One occasion, he was fed in by Sharp but his shot was too close to the keeper who parried his fierce drive. Soon after Baldock won a corner but Egan’s headed flicked wide seemingly off Hutton but a goal kick was given.

United moved it about expertly again and Dowell got in and was able to skip through two challenges before the defence got a foot in at the last moment. It seemed inevitable a good chance would come and sure enough on 11 minutes United took the lead.

Norwood’s corner was headed back by Madine who span off to the far post and SHARP prodded home from close range. The ball was clearly over the line despite the attempts to clear.

United continued to dominate and Basham was scythed down by Jedinak who was booked. Soon after Basham then halted Kodjia and Dowell was puled down by Hourihane. O’Connell then completed a superb tackle on Abraham as the game began to get stretched and Villa finally mounted some attacks of note.

United started to go a bit longer after dominating the first 25 minutes and this led to Villa getting in a few times with Kodjia beating Stevens with nice skill but it was flicked well wide by Abraham. Then a deep cross tried to isolate Kodjia on the wing back but Stevens did well to hold him off despite some half-hearted appeals for a penalty. At the other end Madine went down equally theatrically.

Henderson then chose to punch when he could have caught but Hutton fired well over as it sat up for him from the clearance. Madine then played Sharp in but the return pass was ill advised and the flag rightly went up.

On 40 minutes Basham clumsily brought the dangerous McGinn down after he had rolled Norwood in the middle of the park and now has totted up 10 bookings and misses the next 2 home games. A deep cross as Villa now got United on the overlap was headed back oddly by Basham into the danger area but Egan cleared under pressure. The same man made a clearance just before half time as United went in front deservedly in the lead after dominating the first 25 minutes but then seeing a more even final 20 minutes but Villa had not had any clear chances of note.

Villa started the 2nd half as the better side and looked to pin United back but Madine got away on the break but his shot was straight at the keeper. Villa tried to respond but El Ghazi cross was defended well by Basham. United came again as Baldock advanced and his cross was blocked from Madine at the near post. On 51 minutes; United doubled their lead. It came after Dowell had a powerful shot that was blocked and looped up to Madine who headed it goalwards and over the keeper and it hit the post and bounced up. Kalinic tried to clutch it but as he put his hands on it, SHARP toed it home. The Villa players appealed that the keeper had it in two hands but the goal was allowed to stand.

Villa tried to respond but a shot was blocked from Egan. United then broke out again and looked dangerous on the break. Dowell had a shot blocked and then soon after he was involved in the third goal. Basham played in Dowell who made an intelligent run and his cross took a slight deflection but SHARP was on the spot to complete his hat trick. It seemed like that was game, set and match.

Green and Whelan came on for Jedinak and Kodjia as Villa tried to find a way back into the game and then Madine was replaced by McGoldrick. McGinn was brought down by Stevens and Henderson did well to push the ball away. Egan then brought Abraham down and was booked before Whelan followed suit for an equally bad foul on Norwood.

Dowell was taken off for Cranie with just under 15 minutes to play before Sharp and McGoldrick combined and the sub maybe should have squared the ball with men over but shot straight at the keeper. Sharp then robbed the hapless Elphick but chipped over the bar.

With just under 10 minutes to play Villa won a corner. The ball came over and Henderson got nowhere near it and MINGS headed home. It was a really poor goalkeeping mistake. This gave Villa life and Stevens gave away a free kick and Villa nearly got in again. Sharp was replaced by Washington and surely would have thought the game was up but there were several more twists to come.

On 86 minutes, Villa suddenly got another goal and the game was very much alive. Elphick’s shot should have been saved but Henderson pushed it away but right into the path of ABRAHAM who tapped home. It was another poor error from the United keeper.

Villa now sensed it and piled men forward. They won a corner and Basham was fortunate not to concede a penalty for a clear shirt pull on a Villa man. Another deep cross came over and Stevens had to hold off McGinn with more appeals for a penalty.

There was 5 minutes of stoppage time to be played and now it was only a case if United could hold out in game they had been so comfortable in but now looked all over the shop.

United were in total panic mode now and were not able to stem the tide and were sat back so deep. Both Fleck and Washington gave the ball away and United had multiple chances to keep the ball but kept giving it away.

A deep cross was cleared but then as it came across from the other side O’Connell wildly slashed at the ball and it barely moved out of the box and fell for a Villa player. The cross was perfect from McGinn and GREEN outmuscled Baldock and headed into the far corner. The Villa Park crowd went mad and the unlikely point had been won. The final whistle went soon after and most of United players slumped on the floor although Stevens clearly was not happy with Henderson’s part in the absolute throwaway and was pointing fingers at the keeper.