Brighton push Sheffield closer to drop as Holgate sees red
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SHEFFIELD: Brighton and Hove Albion pushed Sheffield United closer to relegation as the Premier League’s bottom club capitulated after Mason Holgate’s dismissal in Sunday’s 5-0 rout at Bramall Lane.
Holgate was sent off early in the first half for the United defender’s ugly foul on Kaoru Mitoma.
Brighton made the most of Holgate’s exit as Facundo Buonanotte and Danny Welbeck struck in quick succession.
Jack Robinson’s second half own goal was followed by Simon Adingra’s late brace, condemning the shambolic Blades to a sixth defeat in their last nine league games.
Chris Wilder’s team are languishing seven points from safety with 13 games left to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
Sheffield’s 65 goals conceded in the Premier League this season are the most ever by a side in their first 25 matches in the competition.Sheffield threatened a goal inside two minutes when James McAtee picked out Jayden Bogle on the edge of the area and his drive was pushed away by Bart Verbruggen.
That proved a crucial moment as Brighton took control.
Wilder’s men were reduced to 10 men in the 13th minute when Holgate’s studs-up high challenge left Mitoma writhing in pain.
Holgate was initially booked but referee Stuart Attwell upgraded his decision to red card after using the pitchside monitor to review the on-loan Everton right-back’s crude foul.
Brighton needed just seven minutes to make their numerical advantage count.
Sheffield complained that Brighton should not have been given as a corner because the ball appeared to come off Welbeck last.
From the controversial set-piece, Buonanotte made the Blades pay as he scrambled his effort over the line just before it was hacked clear.
Brighton struck again four minutes later, with former Manchester United forward Welbeck lashing high into the net from close-range after Wes Foderingham pushed Mitoma’s shot into his path.Roberto De Zerbi’s side wrapped up their second league win of 2024 in the 75th minute when Robinson turned Mitoma’s cross into his own net.
Adingra rubbed salt into Sheffield’s wounds with a clinical volley from 10 yards in the 78th minute.
There was still time for Adingra’s deflected effort to loop in over Foderingham in the 85th minute as Sheffield surrendered without a fight.
CITY SALVAGE DRAW
In Saturday’s late match, Rodri’s late goal salvaged a 1-1 draw for Manchester City against Chelsea as the below-par champions narrowly avoided their first home loss in 15 months.
Pep Guardiola’s team, unbeaten in their last nine league games, remained third in the table on 53 points, four behind leaders Liverpool and two adrift of Arsenal, but with a game in hand.
City’s decision to park in Chelsea’s half proved costly as Nicolas Jackson’s deft flick began a counter-attack in the 42nd minute. He sent a perfect pass behind the defence to Raheem Sterling, who rounded City defender Kyle Walker and curled the ball past keeper Ederson to score against his former team.
After numerous near-misses that had the City fans holding their heads in frustration, Rodri equalised in the 83rd minute after Walker’s shot was blocked with a thunderous shot that deflected off Trevoh Chalobah into the net.
Victory would have given City the chance to go top of the table when they host Brentford on Tuesday but the draw with Chelsea means they can climb no higher than second.
Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2024
