Sheffield United’s hopes of playing European football next term were dealt a blow as they lost at home to Everton in their penultimate game of the Premier League season.
Richarlison scored the game’s only goal early in the second half when he glanced home a header from Gylfi Sigurdsson’s free-kick.
That strike brought the game to life after a dire first half in which Dominic Calvert-Lewin had the only real chance, but his header hit the post.
David McGoldrick was denied a immediate response for Sheffield United when his low drive inside the box was blocked, but the Blades looked distinctly off key throughout.
Instead it was Everton who looked the most likely to add to their lead as Calvert-Lewin brought a save out of Dean Henderson before Andre Gomes drove just wide of the post in the closing stages.
The defeat for Sheffield United ended their slim hopes of finishing in the top six as they sit four points behind sixth-placed Tottenham with one game remaining.
The win for Everton moved them above Southampton and into 11th.
Blades’ impressive campaign starting to take its toll
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder was hugely critical of his players after the 2-0 defeat by Leicester last time out, calling them League One and Championship players playing in the Premier League.
The 52-year-old is known for his tough love approach to management – an attitude that has helped his squad play beyond their perceived individual ability this season.
Wilder clearly expected a positive reaction as he named the same side that started in that Foxes defeat. There was plenty of huff and puff from his players against the Toffees but they lacked quality in the final third.
There was also a distinct lack of urgency, with the toils of a long but hugely impressive first season back in the Premier League looking like it is starting to take its toll.
They pressed in the final few minutes as Everton sat back but finished the game without mustering a shot on target.
Regardless, Sheffield United have one game remaining of a superb season and they can be proud of their efforts, whether they secure European football next season or not.
Richarlison underlines importance to Toffees
This was a much needed win for Everton with their season having looked in danger of fizzling out in disappointing fashion.
A run of two wins and a draw after the restart was followed by a four-game winless run that ended their hopes of a top-10 finish.
Carlo Ancelotti approached this game with one eye on next season, assessing his options from the club’s youth team by handing promising 18-year-old defender Jarrad Branthwaite his first Premier League start while 19-year-old forward Ellis Simms was included on the bench.
But whatever changes Ancelotti decides to make to his squad over the summer, this game underlined the importance of Richarlison to the Toffees’ aspirations next season.
He was one of the few players for either side looking to make something happen in a dull first half with some determined runs, while it was his goal – a superbly guided header after a clever run – that finally provided the spark the game needed.
Richarlison has scored 15 goals so far this season – 14 of those coming in the Premier League – an impressive return in a difficult campaign for Everton in which they had looked in danger of being involved in a relegation battle before Ancelotti’s arrival in December.
A full pre-season working with the Italian and the Brazilian has a real chance of developing into a 20-goals-a-season striker next term.
Man of the match – Richarlison (Everton)
A rare blank for the Blades – the stats
- This was Everton’s first away league win against Sheffield United since October 1972, ending a run of eight successive visits to Bramall Lane without victory.
- Sheffield United have lost four of their nine Premier League matches since the restart (W3 D2), as many as they had in their previous 21 before the break (W9 D8 L4).
- All five of Everton’s away wins in the Premier League this season have been by a one-goal margin. They’re the only side in the division this season to have had 100% of their away wins by a single goal.
- Sheffield United failed to register a shot on target in a home league game for the first time since August 2016, in a 0-3 defeat to Southend in League One.
- Everton have kept two clean sheets in their last four Premier League away games, having conceded in 14 consecutive games on the road previously.
- Everton have scored 14 headed goals in the Premier League this season – only Liverpool have netted more (16). It’s the Toffees most headed goals in a single campaign since 2010-11 (also 14)
- Richarlison has scored 26 Premier League goals since joining Everton – among Brazilian players in the top five European leagues, only Neymar (28) has more in that time.
- All three of Gylfi Sigurdsson’s assists in the Premier League for Everton this season have been for headed goals.
‘A good sign for the future’ – what they said
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, speaking to Match of the Day: “It has been an incredible effort. I am looking at the bigger picture, we should not be anywhere near it (the top six). We have lost the last two games – Leicester who are going for the Champions League and a big side in Everton.
“The club and the players have over-achieved massively. To have any talk of jumping into the top six means the players deserve an enormous amount of credit.”
Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, speaking to MOTD: “The spirit was really good. It is not a surprise, the players know really well what our supporters ask for on the pitch – to have a good spirit and fight and we showed that today.
“We had opportunities on the counter-attack, I am really pleased with the performance. We are at the end of the season but this fantastic spirit can be a good sign for the future.”
What next?
Sheffield United complete their Premier League campaign with an away trip to Southampton on Sunday, 26 July (16:00 BST), while Everton host Bournemouth at the same time.