Sheffield United 1-2 Leicester: Jamie Vardy Scores Last Breath Winner to Leave Blades Reeling Football news

Jamie Vardy scored a goal on goal in the 90th minute to lead Leicester to a 2-1 victory at Sheffield United, leaving Chris Wilder’s men in all manner of trouble in the Premier League.

Ayoze Pérez shot Leicester ahead (24) after taking advantage of a deflected shot by Marc Albrighton, but Oli McBurnie scored his first goal of the season minutes later (26), with a header from a corner.

Leicester’s performance waned in the second period, but they could have ended the game as both Vardy and James Maddison hit the post in the first half.

The Blades were minutes away from their second point of the season, but Vardy, who grew up as a Sheffield Wednesday fan, walked away from a Maddison pass with one of the game’s last attacks and scored maximum points for the Foxes.

The Blades remain unbeaten at the foot of the Premier League table, taking just one point out of the last 42 available in the league.

How Vardy Punished Blunt Blades …

With Sheffield falling into the Tier 3 category of government restrictions, United was unable to host any fans to help its cause. Teams have found it easier to adjust without the usual raucous atmosphere at Bramall Lane and Leicester got underway quickly.

Maddison was finding plenty of room as the Blades fought back deeply and instigated an attack that ended with Vardy crashing with a fierce effort into the wood in 10 minutes.

Leicester kept up their pressure by keeping control of the ball in midfield and it was no surprise to see the first goal arrive with 24 minutes played. Albrighton joined the attack from his right-back role and fired a shot that was blocked in the way of Pérez, who celebrated the return to the team with a powerful shot that Aaron Ramsdale could not hold.

With little confidence within the ranks, a reaction seemed unlikely, but they managed to turn Leicester and win a corner from the left. Leicester had already conceded six goals in set pieces and six became seven as McBurnie climbed higher to deflect a clever header into the far corner. It was his first goal of the season since his 20th effort on goal.

Max Lowe was fortunate not to receive a second yellow card just before halftime when he cynically bumped into Perez, who was charging toward goal. From the free throw, Maddison scooted about 18 yards and hit the same post that Vardy hit earlier in the middle with another rough effort.

Wilder retired Lowe at half-time and Ben Osborn’s introduction down the left seemed to give the hosts a better balance in their defensive form. Leicester continued to dominate the ball, but space was tight now.

You felt a punch and a grab might be on the cards for the Blades, who are owed some luck this season, but their threat in the attacking areas remains minimal. Only a McBurnie header from another set piece disturbed Leicester’s goal, but it went over the crossbar.

Youri Tielemans came close to taking advantage of a Ramsdale knockdown catch in the 68th minute, but the keeper reacted bravely in time to deflect the ball.

The game seemed to be winding down, but then Vardy arrived at the party in spectacular fashion.

Vardy, who took great delight in scoring in this game last season when the Foxes also won 2-1, kept his cool at one-on-one and beat Ramsdale with a sure finish on the right foot. His wild celebration yielded a yellow card after he wiped out the corner flag, but it mattered little to his mood.

Wilder’s team has now had the worst start to a Premier League season and remains at the bottom of the table with just one point from 11 games.

Man of the match: Jamie Vardy

Sheffield United fans just can’t take a break this season. Just when things couldn’t have reached more frustrating levels, the sight of Vardy walking away celebrating a last-minute winner on Bramall Lane intensified the misery of all concerned at the club. He barely kicked in the final 89 minutes, aside from an effort against a post, but he was ready for action when Maddison got him on goal.

What the managers said

Chris Wilder, Head of Sheffield United: “We are a losing team right now and I am the coach of a losing team. Whether cruel or deserved, we have to make the right decisions.

“If we make the right decisions, we get something out of the game against a really decent team. There has to be a mindset when you get into a game where we get something out of him, but we didn’t.

“We can’t lose that way. If someone wins with a little brilliance, we can take it.

“I’m not going to sit here and say that we are a decent team. We delivered the ball too cheaply and again we did not show the quality you need to drive the game forward.”

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers said: “I thought it was well deserved. We hit the post twice and created other chances and our combination of play was good, while defending very well.

“We just need that final pass and he was late in the game and he beat us the game, and Jamie Vardy is one of the best in Europe in that position.”

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• Sheffield United have become the ninth different team in English Football League history to lose 10 (or more) of their first 11 league games in a season, and only the third in the top flight after Newcastle in 1977. -78 and Manchester United in 1930-31.
• Only Liverpool (19) and Manchester City (18) have won more Premier League away games since Brendan Rodgers took over Leicester than the Foxes (14).
• Thanks to Vardy’s latest win, Leicester midfielder James Maddison has provided his first Premier League assist in 363 days, since he did so against Aston Villa in December last year – the 56th opportunity created since then.
• Vardy has become the third player to score in five consecutive Premier League away games in Yorkshire, after Wayne Rooney (2002-2013) and Harry Kane (2014-2020).

Whats Next?

Sheffield United has a trip to Southampton next Sunday, live on Sky Sports. Meanwhile, Leicester still has work to do to top their Europa League group on Thursday against AEK Athens before hosting Brighton in the Premier League next Saturday.