United got back to winning ways with a gutsy performance to see off fellow promotion challengers Middlesbrough. Richard Stearman was the unlikely hero coming off the bench to score a 2nd half header at the Kop End. Visitors Boro finished with 10 men with defender Daniel Ayala getting an early bath for two yellow cards. Despite the throwaway on Friday night at Villa; United actually saw this one out fairly comfortably. Dean Henderson did make some key saves when it mattered but overall after an even first half; United were the much better side in the 2nd half and deserved the victory.
United knew they had to make one enforced change with Chris Basham suspended but had another decision to make with Jack O’Connell having a tight hamstring. In came Martin Cranie but more surprisingly Mark Duffy as United began with both Dowell and Duffy starting behind Sharp and the returning David McGoldrick with Madine back on the bench. Scott Hogan, Paul Coutts and Kean Bryan both were also named as substitutes. Middlesbrough went with one up top in Jordan Hugill preferred to the dangerous Britt Assombalonga. Former England international Stewart Downing was also on the bench.
Boro began the game with 5 giants across the back line with two players in Friend and Shotton who have both played centre back before lining up either side of 3 other huge players in Fry, Ayala and Flint. They had the muscular and experience John Obi Mikel just in front of them.
United started well and forced the visitors back. The formation seemed to shift from a 4 to a 3 in a rather fluid style but they seemed to have Dowell and Duffy playing just in front of Fleck and Norwood in an unusual shape. With such central players; United were able to control the ball and much of the early play. They had the first chance when Duffy hit a dipping shot from range that Randolph had to claw out of the top corner and Baldock could not turn the rebound home under the challenge of Friend.
Flint had to go off with an injury after he had pulled up when racing back to knock the ball out under pressure from Sharp and his hamstring seemed to go. Downing came on and Boro looked to show more of an attacking threat.
Shotton clumsily tripped up Dowell as he dropped his shoulder to beat his man and it was the first booking of the game.
McGoldrick and Stevens lost the ball before Norwood pulled his man back for a yellow card as the ref evened things up. United had been the better side and McGoldrick nearly found Sharp with a low cross before the striker sliced over after he turned. Boro started to have more control with Mikel starting to get on the ball and the two wing backs moving forward. The long throw and a series of set plays saw them get it into United’s box but Henderson did well twice to punch clear.
Then after a header dropped Hugill hit a shot that Henderson did well to push over after he sprang up to save to his left. The corner was cleared and then Baldock went down and could not carry on replaced by Stearman. Cranie went out to the right in another reshuffle for the Blades. The half ended with a smart Sharp turn and shot well saved.
After the break, Wilder made a change immediately. Madine came on for Duffy and United started to get the ball forward quicker. Madine won two early headers and linked well with Sharp as United forced the visitors back. However, despite United’s quick start; Friend had a header cleared from Egan and then Downing hit a low shot that Henderson somehow scrambled clear. United went back down the other end and piled on the pressure. Two or three balls came in and Boro hacked clear and then Madine got goal side and seemed to be held but got his shot away that was saved from Randolph at close range as the striker appealed furiously.
Ayala then chopped McGoldrick down who threatened to get in in goal after good build up and the centre back was given a yellow card. Norwood hit high and wide but the pressure continued. A cross field ball was smashed back from Madine and Sharp turned home but was rightly adjudged offside.
Mikel then pulled back McGoldrick and the break through came from the resulting free kick. Norwood took it and it was a beauty and STEARMAN made it his with a determined header holding off his man who was stationery. It was a big goal and the experience defender celebrated wildly in front of the Kop.
Only a few minutes later and Middlesbrough were reduced to 10 men. More decent football down the left saw Dowell get in on the angle and as he sent a cross over, he was wildly felled by the big centre back Ayala and the referee was given little option but to give him his second yellow and send him on his way.
Assomalonga had entered the fray for Saville and he has was given a chance after a lucky bounce fell and the ball was played forward but his shot on the angle was saved by the legs of Henderson. Fleck was fouled but then got booked himself for carrying on with a late challenge immediately after despite the ref already stopping play.
Van la Parra came on but Boro were struggling to create much with the long throw their main threat seemingly. United brought on Coutts for Sharp as the game entered the final minute. 4 minutes of stoppage time were played but United saw time out rather more expertly than they did the previous game holding the ball up in the final third well and winning a throw and a free kick. The final whistle saw Wilder punch the air as a changed line up with key men missing were able to get the crucial three points.
United – Huge win. The performance was ok – we played better at Villa on Friday and kept the ball better but today we won a game with a dogged display. No one was outstanding. We had some solid performances but it was just a game where we did enough to edge it 1-0 and all important to simply take the three points. First 20 minutes we were decent but did not create too much; just half chances and then slowly they came out and improved. 0-0 was about right at the break with both teams having one long ranger spectacularly saved by either keeper. Both teams had to reshuffle with a defender each going off and the formations and shape changed for both teams.
To say we had O’Connell and Bash out and then Baldock off; and we had to change shape quite a few times; we did really well and it was a solid performance and even better win. We seemed to start with a 4 but then ended up with almost a 3 with Stevens and Baldock pushing on and Dowell coming wide left. This changed when Baldock went off and we seemed to be back to a more orthodox flat back four with Cranie right back. I felt McGoldrick being in the hole helped us see more of the ball and Madine was a really good outlet and they could not cope with him. Dowell then played more as a left winger for a spell and we seemed to not have a right sided player. It did change quite a bit and then
After the break Wilder went a bit more direct in terms of Madine playing and us getting it forward quicker and they struggled with his strength and hold up. Sharp and Madine both linked well and despite Henderson making one save which nearly was knocked in on the rebound after he could not hold; we had a spell for 15-20 minutes where we dominated and pinned them in. We had a few penalties appeals and overall, I just felt we put real pressure on them winning free kicks and corners. Eventually the break through came. Soon after we invited the foul for the 2nd yellow and we faced 10 men. After this they had one break but overall, we managed the game really well and the changes were decent too. We kept it and did what we had to. We actually were not put under much pressure and looked more comfortable at 1-0 than 3-1 a few days prior! Some of the squad players such as Cranie and Stearman were solid. Egan stepped up when it mattered and the front two caused problems 2nd half. It was a really big win. We put distance between us and Boro but more than that to recover from the devastation of Friday was huge.
With Norwich losing, and Leeds not playing Saturday; we can go back right into the mix at the weekend although Reading have picked up as of late with 4 points from two games. Hopefully O’Connell might be back and Baldock is not too badly injured but we need another big push to try and make it 6 wins on the bounce at the Lane. Today did show a lot about the character of the side and showed the fringe players could come in and do a job too. It also showed the new signings Dowell and Madine also can be big players in the run in.