Conor Gallagher's goal was his first in the league in 34 games
West Bromwich Albion won for the first time this season in the Premier League to move out of the relegation zone and leave winless Sheffield United bottom of the table.
Conor Gallagher scored the game's only goal when he drove through a crowded box early in the first half.
Kyle Bartley went close to adding a second for the hosts after the break but his header was superbly kept out by Blades goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Baggies keeper Sam Johnstone twice prevented the visitors from equalising with excellent saves, keeping out ex-West Brom winger Oliver Burke's powerful header before somehow stopping Oli McBurnie's fierce drive.
George Baldock also had a golden opportunity to equalise but somehow bent a shot over the bar when unmarked inside the box.
The visitors threw players forward in the closing stages in a desperate attempt to rescue a point but when Lys Mousset lashed over from six yards out deep into the seven minutes of time added on, it was clear it was not gong to be the Blades' night.
- Follow live text commentary of West Brom v Sheffield UnitedLawro's full predictions v Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith
Blades battle but come up short againSheffield United had 22 shots in this match, their most in a single Premier League game since April 2007 (24 versus Newcastle).
Sheffield United's latest defeat - their ninth of the season - leaves them five points adrift of safety and while there is still plenty of time to turn things round, the situation is looking increasingly bleak.
No team has stayed up in the Premier League having picked up just one point from their first 10 games and the Blades are finding both scoring and keeping out goals difficult, a combination that doesn't bode well in a battle for survival.
They are the only side in the Premier League yet to keep a clean sheet and have scored just four goals in their 10 games, with two of those penalties.
The one piece of encouragement for Sheffield United fans was the fight their side showed towards the end of the second half, when a mixture of excellent goalkeeping by Johnstone and poor finishing denied them a point.
However, the Blades are now 13 games without a win - a run that stretches back to last season - and need to find a victory soon before their situation becomes too difficult to recover from.
Johnstone shines in crucial win
This was a nervous win for West Brom as they dropped further and further back as the second half wore on, and in truth they can count themselves lucky not to have conceded in the closing stages.
But the nerves were understandable and the psychological boost that moving out of the bottom three will provide should see them play with more confidence in future.
It has been a difficult start for the Baggies but one of the few bright spots has undoubtedly been the form of Johnstone in their goal.
He was excellent in the narrow 1-0 defeat to Manchester United last time out and was again a rock at the back in this game, keeping his cool and staying alert as his team-mates tired and became edgy in the closing stages.
Shots galore - the stats
- West Bromwich Albion earned their first Premier League win of the season, leaving opponents Sheffield United as the only side without a victory so far in 2020-21.Sheffield United are just the third side in English top-flight history to earn as few as one point after 10 league games, after Manchester United (0 in 1930-31) and West Bromwich Albion (1 in 1985-86).43% of West Brom's Premier League goals this season have been scored from outside the box (three/seven), the highest ratio of any side in the division.Sheffield United remain the only side yet to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League this season. Despite this, they've still conceded fewer goals (16) than league leaders Liverpool (17) so far this term.Overall, there were 39 shots in this match (West Brom 17, Sheffield United 22), the joint-most in any Premier League game this season.Conor Gallagher's opener for West Brom was his first league goal in 34 appearances (excluding play-offs), since netting for Charlton against Cardiff in November 2019.West Brom's Matheus Pereira created nine chances against Sheffield United, the most by a player in a single Premier League game so far this season, and most since Kevin de Bruyne created 10 for Man City against Norwich in July.Sheffield United keeper Aaron Ramsdale has conceded 13 goals from outside the box in the Premier League since the start of last season, more than any other goalkeeper in the division.
What next?
Sheffield United host Leicester on Sunday, 6 December (14:15 GMT) while West Brom are at home to Crystal Palace at 12:00 GMT on the same day.
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Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection
- West BromWest Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich AlbionSheff UtdSheffield UnitedSheffield United
West Bromwich AlbionStarting XIAvgSquad number1Player nameJohnstoneAverage rating
7.83
12345678910Squad number6Player nameAjayiAverage rating
6.68
12345678910Squad number20Player nameIvanovicAverage rating
6.55
12345678910Squad number5Player nameBartleyAverage rating
6.60
12345678910Squad number2Player nameFurlongAverage rating
6.78
12345678910Squad number18Player nameGallagherAverage rating
7.66
12345678910Squad number19Player nameSawyersAverage rating
6.74
12345678910Squad number14Player nameTownsendAverage rating
6.67
12345678910Squad number12Player nameMatheus PereiraAverage rating
7.19
12345678910Squad number29Player nameGrantAverage rating
6.26
12345678910Squad number7Player nameRobinsonAverage rating
6.66
12345678910SubstitutesAvgSquad number4Player nameRobson-KanuAverage rating
6.37
12345678910Squad number10Player namePhillipsAverage rating
6.04
12345678910Squad number17Player nameKrovinovicAverage rating
6.25
12345678910Share your West Brom player ratings withFacebookTwitterWhatsAppCopy and share linkSheffield UnitedStarting XIAvgSquad number1Player nameRamsdaleAverage rating
5.05
12345678910Squad number6Player nameBashamAverage rating
4.50
12345678910Squad number12Player nameEganAverage rating
4.63
12345678910Squad number29Player nameBryanAverage rating
4.22
12345678910Squad number2Player nameBaldockAverage rating
4.18
12345678910Squad number8Player nameBergeAverage rating
4.40
12345678910Squad number16Player nameNorwoodAverage rating
3.79
12345678910Squad number4Player nameFleckAverage rating
4.22
12345678910Squad number13Player nameLoweAverage rating
3.86
12345678910Squad number9Player nameMcBurnieAverage rating
3.70
12345678910Squad number14Player nameBurkeAverage rating
4.11
12345678910SubstitutesAvgSquad number7Player nameLundstramAverage rating
4.20
12345678910Squad number11Player nameMoussetAverage rating
3.81
12345678910Squad number24Player nameBrewsterAverage rating
4.55
12345678910Share your Sheff Utd player ratings withFacebookTwitterWhatsAppCopy and share link
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsWest Brom
- 1Johnstone6Ajayi20IvanovicBooked at 2mins5Bartley2Furlong18Gallagher19Sawyers14TownsendSubstituted forPhillipsat 75'minutes12Costa PereiraBooked at 86mins29GrantSubstituted forKrovinovicat 75'minutes7RobinsonSubstituted forRobson-Kanuat 65'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Robson-Kanu10Phillips11Diangana16Harper17Krovinovic25Button27O'Shea
Sheff Utd
- 1Ramsdale6Basham12EganBooked at 58mins29BryanSubstituted forLundstramat 63'minutes2Baldock8BergeBooked at 18mins16NorwoodBooked at 10minsSubstituted forBrewsterat 54'minutes4Fleck13Lowe9McBurnie14BurkeSubstituted forMoussetat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Lundstram11Mousset15Jagielka17McGoldrick21Verrips23Osborn24Brewster
Referee:Mike DeanMatch StatsHome TeamWest BromAway TeamSheff UtdPossessionHome48%Away52%ShotsHome17Away22Shots on TargetHome6Away6CornersHome14Away9FoulsHome10Away9Live TextPost update
Match ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Sheffield United 0.
90'+8'Full Time
Second Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Sheffield United 0.
90'+7'Post update
Attempt missed. Oliver McBurnie (Sheffield United) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by John Fleck with a cross.
90'+6'Post update
Attempt missed. Lys Mousset (Sheffield United) right footed shot from very close range is just a bit too high.
90'+6'Post update
Attempt missed. Rhian Brewster (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by George Baldock.
90'+4'Post update
Attempt saved. George Baldock (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
90'+4'Post update
Attempt saved. Rhian Brewster (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Lys Mousset.
90'+1'Post update
George Baldock (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+1'Post update
Foul by Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion).
89'Post update
Offside, Sheffield United. Lys Mousset tries a through ball, but Chris Basham is caught offside.
89'Post update
Attempt blocked. John Lundstram (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sander Berge.
88'Post update
Attempt missed. Darnell Furlong (West Bromwich Albion) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Matheus Pereira.
86'Booking
Matheus Pereira (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card.
85'Post update
Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Aaron Ramsdale.
85'Post update
Attempt saved. Hal Robson-Kanu (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Filip Krovinovic.
82'Post update
Offside, Sheffield United. Rhian Brewster tries a through ball, but George Baldock is caught offside.
81'Post update
Attempt saved. Oliver McBurnie (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lys Mousset.
80'Post update
Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Sam Johnstone.
80'Post update
Attempt saved. Oliver McBurnie (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sander Berge.
79'Post update
Foul by Kyle Bartley (West Bromwich Albion).
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Source: bbc.com