Sheffield United battled past a very game Sunderland at Bramall Lane, with a 2-1 victory on Wednesday night.

Goals from defender Anel Ahmedhodzic and Max Lowe either side of half time were enough to earn the three points, despite Lynden Gooch’s divine lob getting the visitors right back in the game after the break.

The Black Cats had Dan Neil sent off just minutes before The Blades opener, for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity when he pulled down James McAtee.

The result meant an end to Sunderland’s unbeaten return to the Championship, meaning they dropped to 11th while Sheffield United moved into the Playoff places into fourth.

  • Story of the game

Both teams made two changes to their sides from the weekend.

McAtee was making his full debut for The Blades, replacing John Fleck and Rhian Brewster replaced the injured Billy Sharp.

Sunderland brought Luke O’Nien into the defence for Daniel Ballard, who picked up an injury at the weekend, while Elliott Embleton replaced Corry Evans in the middle of the park.

The game started tentatively, with both teams trying to get a foothold on the match, with the hosts carving out the first opening.

Alex Pritchard gave the ball away just outside the box and that allowed Brewster the chance to take aim at goal, but he flashed his effort into the away fans after 10 minutes.

Neither team looked convincingly on top, but Sunderland looked the more comfortable with the home fans sounding restless early on.

George Baldock felt he was tripped after getting on the end of a long ball over the top, but the referee was not having any of it.

But The Blades did win a free kick on the edge of the box when Dan Neil was adjudged to have fouled Iliman Ndiaye, which a resulted in Sander Berge’s speculative shot being blocked.

Sheffield United started to grow into the game, and Brewster’s shot stung the palms of Sunderland ‘keeper Anthony Patterson.

  • Neil dismissal gave hosts the impetus

The Blades were then handed a major advantage when Neil lost the ball to Manchester City loanee James McAtee nipped in and stole the ball from the midfielder, who pulled him back and was given his marching orders.

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The resulting free-kick was deflected behind for a corner but United did take the lead from the next set piece.

Oliver Norwood’s swinging corner was perfectly placed for Anel Ahmedhodzic who headed the ball into the opposite corner from just six yards out.

The big central defender then tested Patterson with a cross from the right that would have dropped over the line, but the ‘keeper pushed it behind for a corner, but the score remained 1-0 at the interval.

The key for Sunderland was to keep things tight after the break but, just over a minute after the restart, Max Lowe tapped home to make it two.

Berge stepped over a pass to allow Ahmedhodzic to get to the by-line before putting it on a plate for Lowe inside the six-yard area.

Captain Jon Egan was the next to have a sight of goal, flicking a header wide of the mark from McAtee’s cross.

Ahmedhodzic was looking to be a bargain despite Sheffield United having paid £5 million for him this summer, being a force at both ends all night long.

Sunderland could not contain him, and made a triple change to try and force themselves back into the game.

This change of personnel and formation for Sunderland changed the game, with the visitors seeing much more of the ball.

They took advantage of their control through a delightful chip from Lynden Gooch.

Ross Stewart picked the ball up and slipped the Black Cats skipper in behind, who saw Wes Foderingham stood in no-mans-land on the edge of his area and he was able to delicately lift the ball into the net in front of the jubilant away contingent.

Minutes later, O’Nien could consider himself lucky he did not join Neil taking an early bath after a nasty looking challenge on McAtee, a late lunge which scraped down the youngster’s ankle.

The Blades made changes of their own and regained the control after weathering the second half Sunderland storm.

The hosts were finding more space all over the pitch, but could not get past Patterson, who claimed a tame effort from sub Oli McBurnie.

Patterson made a couple of good saves in the final ten minutes, firstly from Norwood’s swerving effort, before getting down low to gather a cross before McBurnie could tap home.

He then denied McBurnie again, this time getting down low to get a strong hand to a strike at the near post, before keeping out Egan’s strong header from the resulting corner.

Sunderland looked to have run out of steam at the end and the hosts held on for the win.

  • Player of the match

Anel Ahmedhodzic

The towering Bosnia and Herzegovina international figuratively and literally stood head and shoulders above the rest at Bramall Lane.

Defensively, he made big tackles and won the ball time and again both in the air and on the floor to stop the visitors from testing Foderingham.

And going forward, he looked like a typical Sheffield United centre back, powering forward on the overlap at every opportunity, setting up the second goal with his strong header giving his side the lead.