Key events
On the first goal, apparently Anthony Gordon’s handball needs to be deliberate – which it wasn’t – for the goal to be disallowed. There was a handball shout before the second goal as well; Almiron’s shot hit the arm of Schar before being saved by Foderingham. That led to the corner from which Dan Burn scored. It’s good that VAR made everything simpler.
Half-time reading
Half time: Sheff Utd 0-3 Newcastle
Newcastle are cruising to their first away win of the season. They didn’t start particularly well but relaxed after Sean Longstaff put them ahead with a dubious goal in the 21st minute. Dan Burn and Sven Botman headed them further ahead, both from set-pieces by Kieran Trippier, and it would have been more but for Wes Foderingham. Once they hit their stride Newcastle were just too fast, too powerful, too good.
45+6 min Gordon beats Bogle to a loose ball, cuts inside and hits a deflected shot that is tipped over acrobatically by Foderingham. That’s a decent save.
45+5 min Guimaraes drags the ball through the legs of McAtee, reminding him who’s the boss in midfield today.
45+2 min “Sheffield United vs Newcastle is also on the telly here in Cambodia, in case anyone is interested,” writes Joe Buckley.
45 min Six minutes of added time. To say the atmosphere is flat would be an understatement.
44 min The resulting corner is headed away to Gordon, who larrups it into the crowd from 20 yards.
43 min: Chance for Wilson! This is crazily one-sided. Gordon, who has been superb since coming on, eases a through pass to Wilson, whose left-footed shot is well blocked by the outrushing Foderingham.
41 min Apparently Elliot Anderson was hit on the leg by a bottle while Newcastle were celebrating their third goal. He didn’t make anything of it, but I’m sure we’ll hear more about it after the game.
39 min Wilson’s 20-yarder curler is saved to his left by Foderingham. Sheffield United have fallen apart since going behind.
38 min Bogle seems to foul Gordon in the area, but Stuart Attwell doesn’t give it and VAR decides not to get involved. I haven’t a clue any more.
36 min Thanks to all of you who have written in with details of US coverage. Talking of which…
“In answer to the question about listening to Sheffield vs Newcastle in the U.S – it’s on the telly, on the USA cable channel,” writes Richard Whitmore.
Newcastle started the game slowly but they’re running riot now. It came from the free-kick that was awarded for that foul by Robinson. Trippier swung it to the near post and Sven Botman flicked a good header into the far corner. Foderingham was a bit slow to react though I don’t think he’d have got there anyway.
GOAL! Sheff Utd 0-3 Newcastle (Botman 35)
And it’s goodnight from Sheffield United.
35 min Robinson is booked for a very aggressive man and ball challenge on Longstaff. Newcastle were fuming and thought he should have been sent off. Just before that, Foderingham made an important save from Wilson, who probably should have scored.
33 min Ahmedhodzic was trying to undress Burn as the corner came in, but Burn was still strong enough to get away from him.
No training-ground routine this time, just an exemplary, old-fashioned corner. Trippier curled a brilliant ball to the far post, where Burn got away from Ahmedhodzic and stooped to head home from three yards.
GOAL! Sheff Utd 0-2 Newcastle (Burn 31)
Two-nil!
30 min A lovely corner routine from Newcastle. Trippier plays a one-two and then slides a square pass towards Almiron, running round the ball on the edge of the area. His off-target shot hits his teammate Schar and bounces towards goal, forcing Foderingham to push it over the bar.
30 min Here’s Newcastle’s opening goal, another one for poor old Howard Webb to explain away.
29 min “For your enquiring correspondent,” says Richard Tibbles, “you can listen to the Blades vs Bonesaws match on the World Service on BBC Sounds.”
28 min Ahmedhodzic is booked for taking a shortcut through Anthony Gordon.
27 min “If Dietrich Ewing has Sirius XM,” says Joe Pearson, “the match is being carried on channel 157.”
26 min Thomas wins a corner for Sheffield United on the left. Pope flaps it away to Hamer, who splashes a half-volley over the bar from a tight angle.
25 min Pope misses his punch at a free-kick but gets away with it. I’d like to see that goal again as I think VAR may have missed a handball.
The goal stands! It looked like it stayed in play, though it’s impossible to be 100 per cent sure. The ball also seemed to hit Gordon’s hand, or maybe I’m seeing things. Either way, Newcastle are ahead.
Sheffield United thought the ball had gone out of play on the left so there will be a VAR check. Gordon collected a throw-in right on the byline, wriggled away from a defender and slid a low cross to Longstaff at the near post. He finished crisply with his left foot.
GOAL! Sheff Utd 0-1 Newcastle (Longstaff 21)
Newcastle may have been flat, but they’re now in front.
20 min Newcastle look a bit flat, as they did in their last away league game at Brighton.
18 min Vinicius Souza’s long-range shot is comfortably saved by Pope. Just before that, McAtee – who is so bright – got away from Longstaff and found Hamer, whose shot was blocked.
16 min Longstaff’s excellent pass releases Wilson on the right. He moves into the area and tries to go outside Norwood, who reads it well and strolls away with the ball.
14 min McAtee, who has started brightly, plays a one-two with Bogle on the right and waves a nonchalant cross with the outside of the left foot. It clears Trippier at the farp ost and reaches Thomas, who slices a volley well wide. That was a pretty good chance, though he might have seen the ball late.
12 min: Newcastle substitution A dejected Harvey Barnes is replaced by Anthony Gordon.
10 min Harvey Barnes is down with what looks like a muscle injury. I don’t think he’ll be able to continue.
9 min “Hey there!” writes Dietrich Ewing. “Is there any way to listen to the game in the U.S.?”
I have no idea I’m afraid. Can anyone help?
7 min Guimaraes slides a nice pass through the inside-right channel to Wilson, who drills a low shot from a tight angle. Foderingham gets down to his right to save at the second attempt.
5 min It’s been a good start from Sheffield United, who are pressing aggressively. Newcastle are yet to get going.
3 min Sheffield United’s wing-backs combine for the first chance. Bogle fizzes a terrific first-time cross towards Thomas at the far post. He controls it on the chest and wallops a volley that is really well blocked by Trippier.
3 min “G’Day Rob, brutal 1.30am kick-off here,” writes Chris Paraskevas. “I’ve got work in a few hours but got some sleep in before this one. Any time I see Sheffield United play I can’t help but think of Danny Webber’s winner against us back in the 2006-07 season.
“It remains one of the quintessential Newcastle results of my lifetime: gifting Neil Warnock’s side their first away win of the campaign. Hoping for a less anaemic performance tonight… The Newcastle line-up that day (with Glenn Roeder as manager): Harper, Carr, Moore, Bramble, Babayaro, Milner, Parker, Butt, N’Zogbia, Rossi, Duff.”
That’s a decent team as well, at least on paper.
2 min It looks like a 3-4-2-1 for Sheffield United, who are without the suspended Oli McBurnie. Gustavo Hamer and James McAtee are supporting Carmeron Archer.
1 min Peep peep! Sheffield United kick off from right to left as we watch.
Before the game there will be a minute’s silence in memory of Maddy Cusack, who died tragically this week.
Pre-match reading
Team news
Paul Heckingbottom makes two changes from the team that lost so agonisingly at Spurs. John Egan replaces Chris Basham in defence, and Oliver Norwood is in for the suspended Oli McBurnie. That might mean Gustavo Hamer playing further forward.
Eddie Howe continues his rotation policy, making four changes from the draw in Milan. Elliot Anderson, Miguel Almiron, Callum Wilson and Harvey Barnes come into the side in place of Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy.
Sheff Utd (possible 3-4-2-1) Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson; Bogle, Vinicius Souza, Norwood, Thomas; McAtee, Hamer; Archer.
Substitutes: Davies, Trusty, Basham, Larouci, Seriki, Davies, Ben Slimane, Brooks, Traore.
Newcastle (possible 4-3-3) Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Anderson; Almiron, Wilson, Barnes.
Substitutes: Dubravka, Lascelles, Targett, Hall, Livramento, Tonali, Murphy, Gordon, Isak.
Referee Stuart Attwell.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Sheffield United v Newcastle United at Bramall Lane. Despite some decent performances, both teams have had iffy starts to the season. Sheffield United almost drew with Manchester City and almost won at Spurs; Newcastle almost beat Liverpool. But they didn’t, and they have one and six points respectively. This, dearest reader, would be a good game to win.
Kick off 4.30pm.