Enes Unal’s stoppage-time equalizer rescued a point for Bournemouth as Sheffield United found another cruel way to fumble away points in a 2-2 draw at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
The Blades looked set for a rare win and rarer away win as Gustavo Hamer and Jack Robinson helped Blades build a 2-0 lead and Bournemouth missed a penalty and saw a goal taken off the board.
WATCH BOURNEMOUTH vs SHEFFIELD UNITED FULL MATCH REPLAY
Their 14 points put them 19th, seven behind Luton, 10 back of Forest, and 11 behind Everton. Potential points deductions for Forest and Everton make every point won by the Blades further means for hope, but three would’ve been so nice for Sheffield United’s flailing Premier League existence.
The visiting Cherries beat Burnley at Turf Moor last time out to snap a seven-match Premier League winless run and now claim a point from the second of three-straight matches against the PL’s bottom three sides. It’s 13th place for Bournemouth’s 32 points.
What’s next? No, not the fixtures. Really, what’s next?
Poor Sheffield United. Their roster was ill-prepared for the Premier League season, and their mentality just looks shattered.
The Blades are now 2-2-9 under manager Chris Wilder, a club legend who was called upon to save the season after Paul Heckingbottom started the campaign 1-2-11.
There’s a relatively meaningless argument to be made that Blades are slightly improved considering Heckingbottom’s men beat Wolves and drew Everton and Brighton, while Wilder’s bunch have defeated Brentford and Luton while drawing Villa, West Ham, and now Bournemouth.
But let’s be real — saying so is a disservice to Heckingbottom and needless catering to either Wilder or club hierarchy. Blades are bad, and there’s a better argument to be made that Feb. 1 transfer Ben Brereton Diaz — a goal in the draw versus West Ham and another in a 3-2 loss to — supplied plenty of a short-lived difference before injury.
Sheffield United need bodies. Wilder wasn’t going to fix the season with this roster, regardless of what he said. Their hope now was Brereton Diaz fitness, a couple of bounces, and points deductions for Forest and Everton. And even with the bounces on Saturday going their way, they still managed to blow a 2-0 lead.
And to Wilder, or whoever thought this was salvageable, we quote from “No Country For Old Men” (substitute ‘league’ for country, please):
“What you got ain’t nothin’ new. This country’s hard on people. You can’t stop what’s coming. It ain’t all waiting on you. That’s vanity.”
What’s next?
The Blades wait til March 30 for a next Premier League game, home to Fulham at 11am ET.
Bournemouth host Luton Town at 3:30pm ET Wednesday, then wait til March 30 and a visit from Everton
How to watch Bournemouth vs Sheffield United live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 10am ET Saturday
TV Channel: Peacock Premium
Online: Premier League on Peacock
Bournemouth vs Sheffield United live updates, as they happened — By Nick Mendola
Bournemouth vs Sheffield United final score: 2-2
Goals: Hamer (28'), Robinson (65'), Ouattara (74'), Unal (90+2')
Bournemouth vs Sheffield United player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Bournemouth vs Sheffield United player ratings (fotmob.com)
Bournemouth vs Sheffield United player ratings (fotmob.com)
Enes Unal goal; Stoppage-time life cruel for Blades — Bournemouth 2-2 Sheffield United (90+2 minute)
All the defensive subs in the world can’t stop what’s coming. Bournemouth level the score. Sheffield United are sunk (not officially, but these are a killer pair of dropped points).
Dango Ouattara goal! Snapped header gets Cherries within one — Bournemouth 1-2 Sheffield United (74th minute)
Ryan Christie sweeps good corner kick service into the mixer, and Ouattara reacts well to snap a header past Ivo Grbic.
Solanke goal taken away by VAR
A hustle goal is coming off the board as Bournemouth pulled one back but only for a moment.
A ball is rifled into the box and Robinson’s reaction clearance hits Solanke, who snaps the next touch home.
But VAR takes a look at the ball hit Solanke’s arm and side before he shot it in, and that’ll be a handball as the scorer can’t get a goal even off an unintentional handling of the ball.
It’s the Blades day.
A second for Sheffield United! Jack Robinson wins battle — Bournemouth 0-2 Sheffield United (65th minute)
Blades captain Jack Robinson gets his first Premier League goal at a great time.
His 46th PL appearance — he has 10 goals in 224 Championship matches — sees a center back’s goal, as he gets his leg in front of a full-blooded Bournemouth marking job to score at the back post.
Halftime! Bournemouth 0-1 Sheffield United
The Solanke missed penalty really looms here, as his cartoonish slip recalls John Terry in the Champions League Final.
Not quite the same stakes, at least for the Cherries, but his miss and Hamer’s poach could be massive for the 20th-place Blades.
Shot attempts are 13-8 for Bournemouth, who’ve held 70% of the ball. But Blades have put seven of their shots on target. Neto probably didn’t expect a six-save first half versus Sheffield United.
xG says there are more goals to come, and Blades have completed just 82 passes. That’s one shot on target for every 11 or so passes completed.
Blades go in front as Hamer snaps up rebound — Bournemouth 0-1 Sheffield United (28th minute)
Jayden Bogle rips a shot on goal on a nice passage of play for Blades and Neto does well to slap it away.
But that’s why Gustavo Hamer is here, and the Blades attacker sniffs out the rebound ahead of the Cherries’ defense, and last-place Sheffield United is ahead at the Vitality Stadium!
Bournemouth penalty! But Solanke slips! Bournemouth 0-0 Sheffield United
Dominic Solanke is chopped down by a sliding Tom Davies off a set piece routing. Davies got the ball with one leg and also all of the man with the rest of him, and VAR does not let him off the hook.
But Solanke does! Blades keeper Ivo Grbic doesn’t even get a chance to be the hero here, as Solanke’s plant foot slips and his attempt goes sailing into the stratosphere.
Bournemouth vs Sheffield United underway!
Already an early chance for the Blades, who could really do the game and their season a service by scoring early.
Bournemouth lineup
Neto, Kerkez, Cook, Mepham, Solanke, Christie, Smith, Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo, Zabarnyi
Sheffield United lineup
Grbic, Baldock, Trusty, Osborn, Robinson, Davies, Bogle, Arblaster, Hamer, Brereton Diaz, McBurnie
Bournemouth focus, team news
OUT: Marcos Senesi (thigh), Max Aarons (thigh), Ryan Fredericks (calf), James Hill (ankle) | QUESTIONABLE: Dominic Solanke (knee), Tyler Adams (hamstring - out until February), Lloyd Kelly (groin), Ryan Christie (illness)
Sheffield United focus, team news
OUT: Mason Holgate (suspension), John Egan (ankle), Max Lowe (ankle), Chris Basham (ankle), Daniel Jebbison (illness), Rhys Norrington-Davies (thigh), Cameron Archer (calf), Anis Ben Slimane (thigh), Rhian Brewster (thigh)