Sheffield United 0-1 Birmingham: Slavisa Jokanovic's Blades suffer narrow opening defeat

Report from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Sheffield United and Birmingham at Bramall Lane as Maxime Colin's 19th-minute header earned all three points for Lee Bowyer's Blues on Saturday

By Dan Long

Sunday 8 August 2021 07:06, UK

Sheffield United's return to the Sky Bet Championship ended in defeat, as they were beaten 1-0 by Birmingham at Bramall Lane on Saturday night.

The start of the Slavisa Jokanovic era brought an encouraging start, though with few chances to trouble the Blues, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock after 19 minutes.

Maxime Colin was the unlikely match-winner, with his intelligent header enough to give him a first goal since December and take all three points back to St Andrew's.

As the hosts searched for an equaliser, David McGoldrick curled just wide, while two penalty appeals were waved away after the hour mark.

And though the Blades turned up the pressure in the closing stages, Lee Bowyer's men held on to record a victory that will make the rest of the Championship sit up and take notice.

How the Blades were blunted on their Championship return

By the 15-minute mark, the Blades had enjoyed 75 per cent of the game's possession but, with little to show for it, they soon fell behind against the run of play.

Jeremie Bela won the ball out on the left flank and lifted a cross into the area, where Colin raced forward, ghosted past Ben Osborn and beat reported Arsenal target Aaron Ramsdale with a considered header across the face of goal.

That ignited the fight in Sheffield United, who came within a post's width of an instant equaliser when Oliver Burke latched onto Sander Berge's pass and crashed a shot off the base of the right-hand post.

After the restart, McGoldrick drifted in from the left and bent a dipping shot inches wide, minutes before Colin was denied a second when he headed in Tahith Chong's cross after Osborn was pushed by Lukas Jutkiewicz in the build-up.

Scott Hogan then dropped to the ground with his shirt over his eyes after swivelling and striking over the bar from inside the six-yard box with Blades fans left incensed when John Fleck's rasping drive appeared to be blocked by Gary Gardner's arm.

Referee Tim Robinson waved away appeals again when Sander Berge went to ground inside the area under pressure from Manchester United loanee Chong.

As the final seconds ticked by, the Blues were undoubtedly under the cosh. But after McGoldrick volleyed over and Osborn's square ball went unchallenged, they took all three points.

Man of the match - Tahith Chong

Sky Sports' Andy Hinchcliffe:

"In a disciplined team performance, he was diligent defensively and got forward to good effect, too. He can play in a variety of positions and you can see why Bowyer wanted to bring him to the club. An excellent debut."

What the managers said...

Sheffield United's Slavisa Jokanovic: "We weren't clinical. We had a lot of the possession, we arrived in the box and we had shots but only two on goal and this is the principal reason why we stay without points today.

"I am not disappointed. Of course, with the result, but I am not disappointed with my team. We tried, we showed the side where we push and they played, a lot of the time, the way I want to play. It is one game behind us, a lot of games are ahead of us. Head up and push forward."

Birmingham's Lee Bowyer: "Top drawer. Like I said beforehand, could we pick up where we left off at the end of last season - they have done that. As a group, we are capable of doing whatever we want to do, but you have to put that effort in every single game. You can't turn it on and off.

"If they keep producing work ethic, togetherness and, in possession, creating chances like we did, then we'll be ok this season. All 11, plus the players that came on put a very big shift in against a very good Sheffield United side and I thought we deserved to win."

What's next?

Both sides are next in action on Tuesday night at 7.45pm, when they take part in the first round of the Carabao Cup. Sheffield United host Carlisle at Bramall Lane, while Birmingham welcome Colchester to St Andrew's.