Everton moved up to second in the Premier League after edging a tight contest against Sheffield United at rain-lashed Bramall Lane.
Gylfi Sigurdsson’s late effort, which found the bottom-left corner, saw Carlo Ancelotti’s side extend their winning run to four matches as they leapfrogged Leicester and Manchester United in the process.
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 chances, Oliver Burke’s flashing drive represented the hosts’ best effort while Oli McBurnie steered a stoppage-time effort to retrieve a point just wide.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Sigurdsson had both threatened to break the deadlock for the visitors before the Iceland midfielder sealed all three points.
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.
Coming after the disappointment of their Carabao Cup quarter-final exit, it was the perfect response from Everton who 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.
More to follow.
Player of the match
KeaneMichael Keane
Sheffield United
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Squad number12Player nameEgan
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Squad number22Player nameAmpadu
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Squad number1Player nameRamsdale
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Squad number6Player nameBasham
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Squad number17Player nameMcGoldrick
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Squad number2Player nameBaldock
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Squad number14Player nameBurke
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Squad number23Player nameOsborn
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Squad number9Player nameMcBurnie
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Squad number19Player nameRobinson
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Squad number3Player nameStevens
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Squad number11Player nameMousset
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Squad number24Player nameBrewster
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Squad number16Player nameNorwood
Everton
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Squad number5Player nameKeane
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Squad number10Player nameG Sigurdsson
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Squad number22Player nameGodfrey
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Squad number16Player nameDoucouré
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Squad number13Player nameMina
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Squad number20Player nameBernard
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Squad number9Player nameCalvert-Lewin
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Squad number23Player nameColeman
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Squad number26Player nameDavies
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Squad number4Player nameHolgate
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Squad number21Player nameAndré Gomes
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Squad number17Player nameIwobi
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Squad number1Player namePickford
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Squad number24Player nameGordon
Line-ups
Sheff Utd
- 1Ramsdale
- 6Basham
- 12Egan
- 19RobinsonBooked at 90mins
- 2BaldockBooked at 71mins
- 22Ampadu
- 23Osborn
- 3Stevens
- 17McGoldrickSubstituted forNorwoodat 63′minutes
- 24BrewsterSubstituted forMoussetat 76′minutes
- 14BurkeSubstituted forMcBurnieat 45′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Fleck
- 9McBurnie
- 10Sharp
- 11Mousset
- 13Lowe
- 15Jagielka
- 16Norwood
- 20Bogle
- 21Verrips
Everton
- 1PickfordBooked at 90mins
- 4Holgate
- 13Mina
- 5KeaneSubstituted forColemanat 66′minutes
- 22GodfreyBooked at 89mins
- 16Doucouré
- 26DaviesSubstituted forAndré Gomesat 74′minutes
- 17Iwobi
- 10G Sigurdsson
- 24GordonSubstituted forBernardat 55′minutesBooked at 81mins
- 9Calvert-LewinBooked at 52mins
Substitutes
- 2Kenny
- 14Tosun
- 18Nkounkou
- 20Bernard
- 21André Gomes
- 23Coleman
- 32Branthwaite
- 33Olsen
- 49Lössl
Live Text
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Match ends, Sheffield United 0, Everton 1.
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Second Half ends, Sheffield United 0, Everton 1.
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Attempt missed. Oliver McBurnie (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Enda Stevens.
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Yerry Mina (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Lys Mousset (Sheffield United).
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Jordan Pickford (Everton) is shown the yellow card.
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Attempt missed. Oliver McBurnie (Sheffield United) header from very close range misses to the right. Assisted by Oliver Norwood with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Yerry Mina.
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Jack Robinson (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card.
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Corner, Everton. Conceded by Jack Robinson.
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Ben Godfrey (Everton) is shown the yellow card.
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Offside, Everton. André Gomes tries a through ball, but Ben Godfrey is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Enda Stevens (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Oliver Norwood with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Ben Godfrey.
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Foul by Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton).
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Jack Robinson (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Alex Iwobi (Everton).
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Ben Osborn (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt blocked. John Egan (Sheffield United) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Osborn with a cross.
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Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Jordan Pickford.