Sheffield United 0-5 Brighton: Mason Holgate sent off in heavy home defeat
Holgate #Holgate
Mason Holgate (left) is the only player to have received a red card in each of the past three Premier League seasons
Brighton thrashed 10-man Sheffield United, who stayed bottom of the Premier League and conceded five goals at home for the third consecutive game.
The game swung in the 12th minute when United’s Mason Holgate caught Kaoru Mitoma in midfield with a horrific challenge just below the knee.
The Everton loanee was shown a yellow card, but the decision was upgraded to a red after intervention from the video assistant referee (VAR).
Against 10 men, Brighton attacked at will, taking the lead through Facundo Buonanotte, who bundled in a corner.
Danny Welbeck doubled the advantage, firing in a rebound after keeper Wes Foderingham denied Mitoma.
The hosts thought they had pulled a goal back just before the break through Ben Osborn, but his hooked volley has ruled out for offside.
Brighton got a deserved third midway through the second half when United defender Jack Robinson diverted Mitoma’s cross into his own net.
Simon Adingra added two late goals, burying Pascal Gross’ cutback and benefiting from a looping deflection.
Brighton enjoy record away win
Sunday’s victory was only Brighton’s second in the league in 2024, although they have won twice in the FA Cup, including a 5-2 triumph over United at Bramall Lane in the fourth round.
Even before Holgate’s sending-off Roberto de Zerbi’s side were routinely carving forward.
Adingra, back from winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast, had a cross deflected off Anel Ahmedhodzic and narrowly kept out by a diving Foderingham.
At 2-0, Yasser Larouci twice cleared off the line for United, denying Mitoma and Gross from close range. Foderingham also smartly kept out Welbeck and Mitoma either side of half-time.
Brighton’s win is their biggest away from home in the top flight, and they have scored four or more goals seven times in all competitions this season.
Seventh-placed Brighton face teams from the bottom half of the table in their next five games.
They host Everton on Saturday, a game De Zerbi will expect to win.
Blades miss chance to move off bottom
“It feels like we get one back and then we lose one,” Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder told Sky Sports.
He was actually talking about Cameron Archer failing a fitness test before kick-off, but the point does also aptly sum up his side.
After winning 3-1 at Luton last week, the visitors needed only a point to move off the foot of the table.
But as soon as they went a player down, any positive result looked unlikely.
They did almost level shortly after conceding, but James McAtee’s shot after a mazy run was kept out by Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen, starting ahead of Jason Steele.
And there was confusion surrounding Osborn’s disallowed goal, which was first ruled out for a foul but then was ultimately chalked off for an offside after referee Stuart Attwell consulted the pitchside monitor.
United travel to Wolves for their next league match on 25 February.
Player of the match
GilmourBilly Gilmour
Sheffield United
Squad number18Player nameFoderingham
Squad number28Player nameMcAtee
Squad number8Player nameHamer
Squad number15Player nameAhmedhodzic
Squad number21Player nameVinicius Souza
Squad number23Player nameOsborn
Squad number19Player nameRobinson
Squad number5Player nameTrusty
Squad number35Player nameBrooks
Squad number20Player nameBogle
Squad number32Player nameOsula
Squad number22Player nameDavies
Squad number16Player nameNorwood
Squad number7Player nameBrewster
Squad number27Player nameLarouci
Squad number30Player nameHolgate
Brighton & Hove Albion
Squad number11Player nameGilmour
Squad number24Player nameAdingra
Squad number22Player nameMitoma
Squad number18Player nameWelbeck
Squad number5Player nameDunk
Squad number13Player nameGroß
Squad number40Player nameBuonanotte
Squad number29Player namevan Hecke
Squad number2Player nameLamptey
Squad number1Player nameVerbruggen
Squad number3Player nameIgor Julio
Squad number15Player nameModer
Squad number4Player nameWebster
Squad number28Player nameFerguson
Squad number31Player nameAnsu Fati
Squad number30Player nameEstupiñán
Line-upsSheff Utd
Formation 3-5-1-1
18Foderingham
30Holgate15Ahmedhodzic19Robinson
20Bogle8Hamer21de Souza Costa23Osborn27Larouci
28McAtee
32Osula
Substitutes
Brighton
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Verbruggen
4Webster29van Hecke5Dunk2Lamptey
13Groß11Gilmour
24Adingra40Buonanotte22Mitoma
18Welbeck
Substitutes
Referee:Stuart Attwell
Attendance:29,522
Live Text
Match ends, Sheffield United 0, Brighton and Hove Albion 5.
Second Half ends, Sheffield United 0, Brighton and Hove Albion 5.
Attempt blocked. Jayden Bogle (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Tom Davies (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card.
Bart Verbruggen (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card.
Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Igor Julio.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Jayden Bogle.
Billy Gilmour (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Billy Gilmour (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Rhian Brewster (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt blocked. Simon Adingra (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lewis Dunk.
Offside, Brighton and Hove Albion. Pervis Estupiñán is caught offside.
Goal! Sheffield United 0, Brighton and Hove Albion 5. Simon Adingra (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner.
Attempt blocked. Ansu Fati (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Pascal Groß.
Attempt missed. Anel Ahmedhodzic (Sheffield United) header from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Jack Robinson with a cross.
Attempt missed. Jakub Moder (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Pascal Groß with a cross.
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Pervis Estupiñán replaces Danny Welbeck.
Substitution, Sheffield United. Tom Davies replaces Gustavo Hamer.
Substitution, Sheffield United. Oliver Norwood replaces Ben Osborn.
Substitution, Sheffield United. Rhian Brewster replaces James McAtee.