Oliver Arblaster nets own goal as Sheffield United edge closer to relegation

37Zs...1DvT
14 Apr 2024
34

Luckless teenager Oliver Arblaster scored an own goal as Sheffield United were shoved another step closer to the Championship after a 2-0 defeat at Brentford.

Arblaster, making only his fifth Premier League start, held his head in his hands after inadvertently turning the ball past goalkeeper Ivo Grbic in the second half.

Substitute Frank Onyeka added a second with time ticking down on both the match and the Blades’ stay in the top flight.

Another defeat – their 22nd of the season – leaves Chris Wilder’s men 10 points adrift of safety with only six games remaining.

To rub salt in the wounds of a chastening campaign, Sheffield United found out this week that a two-point deduction awaits them upon their now almost-inevitable drop into the Championship.

United’s only real hope of a second away win of the season was by getting Ben Brereton Diaz and Ollie McBurnie up the pitch.

They managed it in the opening stages when Brereton Diaz raced through but his weak, left-footed finish was blocked by Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

Brereton Diaz had a better chance when he cut inside Vitaly Janelt onto his favoured right foot, but his attempted curler flew too high.

Other than that Brentford, by no means out of the relegation picture themselves, were utterly dominant.

But, with Ivan Toney on the bench for the second match running, they were lacking a cutting edge in front of goal.

Sergio Reguilon headed an early Mads Roerslev cross over and Yanelt sidefooted the ball straight into the arms of Grbic.

Brentford’s best chance of the first half arrived nine minutes before the break and it was all of Sheffield United’s making.

Auston Trusty’s ball out from the back was straight to Bryan Mbeumo, who quick as a flash sent Neal Maupay through on goal.

But the French striker was stretching as he prodded the ball past the onrushing Grbic and it rolled agonisingly wide of the post.

Brentford had the ball in the net early in the second half but Mathias Jorgensen was clearly offside when he poked Mathias Jensen’s free-kick in.

But they made the breakthrough just after the hour mark when Mbeumo fed Mikkel Damsgaard down the right.

The Denmark midfielder charged forward and attempted a low cross towards Maupay, only for the unfortunate Arblaster to stick out a leg and turn the ball into his own net.

Moments later, Mbeumo’s free-kick across the edge of the penalty area was volleyed home first time by Damsgaard, only for a VAR check to spot a foul on McBurnie by Nathan Collins.

In stoppage time, two minutes after coming off the bench, midfielder Onyeka slid the ball past Grbic to heap more misery on United and wrap up a first win in 10 for the Bees.

Aro Muric mistake denies Burnley crucial victory over Brighton

A dreadful mistake from goalkeeper Aro Muric cost Burnley dear in a 1-1 Premier League draw with Brighton that could prove decisive in the relegation battle.

Moments after Josh Brownhill had capitalised on a poor back pass from Carlos Baleba to put the Clarets on course for a victory that would have left them four points from safety, Muric let a routine pass from Sander Berge slip under his foot and dribble into the net, leaving the gap at six.

In a season in which Vincent Kompany’s men have still only won two home league games, it was an awful way to squander two points and the confidence victory would have given Burnley with only five games left to play.

Kompany, serving a touchline ban, had already seen his side waste glorious chances to go ahead, with both Jacob Bruun Larsen and David Fofana guilty of poor misses, although the same could also be said of a Brighton side who had 20 attempts at goal, but needed an own goal to avoid defeat.

Burnley wanted a penalty seven minutes in when Wilson Odobert, having been slipped in by Lyle Foster, was left in a heap by Pervis Estupinan, but referee Simon Hooper was entirely unmoved, deeming he had taken the ball before the man.

It was Estupinan’s only involvement of real note before the Ecuadorian was forced off after only 13 minutes, replaced by Igor Julio, to add to Brighton’s already considerable injury problems.

All the early attacking intent was with Burnley and they should have led in the 17th minute when Odobert’s curling cross seemed to put the ball on a plate for Bruun Larsen, but the Dane somehow put it wide when he had to score.

Brighton had barely threatened, but they almost benefited from some chaotic Burnley defending in the 21st minute after Simon Adingra was allowed to break into the box, with Bruun Larsen over-hitting a back pass which struck Muric before bouncing to safety.

Brighton were growing in confidence, with Adingra and Baleba both testing Muric and Joao Pedro heading wide before Jakub Moder’s curling free-kick in the 41st minute had the Kosovo goalkeeper stretching to push the ball around a post.

But the half ended with Burnley squandering another outstanding chance, with Fofana somehow failing to get a toe to Odobert’s cross with the goal gaping.

Burnley replaced Vitinho with Charlie Taylor at the break and had another superb chance and another poor miss in the 52nd minute as a nice move ended with Fofana heading wide from Lorenz Assignon’s cross.

But Brighton were taking the ascendancy. Adingra should have done better with Moder’s low cross, unable to get his effort on target, and Pascal Gross saw a shot deflected wide after Burnley had to scramble to cut off Pedro.

Just before the hour, a lazy pass from Berge on the edge of the box gifted the ball to Gross, who saw his shot tipped over the bar by Muric before Pedro headed wide from the resulting corner.

Burnley thought they were on to a winner when Brownhill, just on for the injured Hjalmar Ekdal, struck in the 74th minute.

Baleba struggled to deal with a high bouncing ball and did not get enough power on his back pass, with Brownhill charging after it to punish the mistake.

But five minutes later Turf Moor’s celebrations were cut short by a moment that will give Muric sleepless nights.

Morgan Gibbs-White goads Wolves fans as Nottingham Forest settle for draw

Morgan Gibbs-White taunted his former club Wolves but Nottingham Forest could only earn a 2-2 draw which did little to help their Premier League survival hopes.

Gibbs-White goaded the away fans after he scored and was then involved in his side’s second goal but Matheus Cunha’s double for Wolves ensured Forest were denied all three points.

They would have seen this as a good opportunity to put some daylight between themselves and Luton, who lost heavily at Manchester City, but the gap is just one point.

And with home games with City and Chelsea remaining, their survival fate could well be decided by away matches at Everton, Sheffield United and Burnley.

Though they are hoping to recoup some of the four points they were docked by the Premier League for breaking financial rules, with an appeal date still to be set.

Wolves, who are playing with a sizeable injury list, look set for a mid-table finish as European qualification now looks out of reach with no wins in the last four.

All of the early pressure was from the hosts as they started on the front foot, with Ryan Yates testing Jose Sa from distance and then Callum Hudson-Odoi and Gio Reyna shooting off target from promising positions.

Yet, Wolves should have led in the 27th minute after being presented with a golden chance by some suicidal passing out from the back.

With his back to goal, Yates passed straight to Joao Gomes, whose curled shot beat Matz Sels but was heroically cleared off the line by Murillo.

The goal was gaping as the ball fell straight to Pablo Sarabia from the rebound but he dragged his shot wide.

Wolves did go ahead in the 40th minute with a brilliant solo effort by Cunha.

He ran his marker Andrew Omobamidele all the way down the left flank into the penalty area, then turned him superbly, cut inside Yates, and fired an unstoppable effort into the top corner.

The lead was short-lived, though, as Forest levelled in first-half stoppage time and it was only ever going to be one man.

Gibbs-White found space at the near post from Reyna’s corner and glanced into the far corner before enjoying his celebration.

The former Wolves midfielder pretended to celebrate in front of the Forest fans before turning to the away section, who had been booing him.

He was involved again as Forest took a 57th-minute lead when he burst into the area and after he was tackled by Matt Doherty the ball fell perfectly for Danilo to slot home.

But five minutes later Cunha’s second of the game brought Wolves level as he turned home from close range after Forest could not deal with a corner.

It was the 22nd time Forest have conceded from a set-piece this season and this was one of the most costly.

They were the ones pushing for the win with Hudson-Odoi and Neco Williams missing presentable chances as they had to settle for a point.


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