Nothing is straightforward for Manchester United at the moment. Not holding on to a three-goal lead against Coventry City, and not even beating a Sheffield United team heading back to the Championship.
Three days after their Wembley wobbles almost cost Erik ten Hag’s side a place in the FA Cup final, they were at it again. Twice they trailed to a team that started the night seven points adrift at the foot of the table, and twice they had to drag themselves back into this game.
Bruno Fernandes’ second goal of the night and Rasmus Hojlund first since February got them out of trouble but this was hardly stellar opposition. When Fernandes scored his first from the spot, the Blades broke Derby’s record of conceding 89 goals in a 38-game Premier League season.
No team is too bad for United right now. No challenge too easy for Ten Hag. The sight of Jason Wilcox, here at Old Trafford for the first time since being appointed technical director on Friday, talking tactics with Sir Dave Brailsford in the directors’ box didn’t augur well for the Dutchman.
The pieces are falling into place for Ineos and Ten Hag continues to give his employers plenty of reasons to decide he won’t be part of their plans.
For United – Manchester, that is – this was the ideal fixture to get over the trauma of tossing away a three-goal lead against Coventry at the weekend, then surviving a disallowed goal at the end of extra-time and a penalty shootout to reach another Cup Final against Manchester City next month.
There was still no end in sight to their injury problems as Marcus Rashford became the latest player to drop out and Scott McTominay was only fit enough to sit on a bench stacked with teenagers.
Eriksen replaced McTominay in midfield, making only his second league start of the year, with Casemiro once again operating as an emergency central defender.
Still, this was a United side more than capable of winning the game and they could have had it wrapped up by half-time were it not for an inspired display by Wes Foderingham in the Sheffield United goal and a blunder by their own keeper Andre Onana.
Foderingham was called into action after just 28 seconds, tipping over an effort from Diogo Dalot as the pattern of the game became apparent. The visitors got 11 men behind the ball and United passed it around smoothly looking for ways to open them up.
It worked on a number of occasions but Foderingham produced three magnificent one-handed saves in particular to keep out Kobbie Mainoo’s low shot from close to the penalty spot, Alejandro’s effort which he delayed too long, and Antony’s strike when clean through. Hojlund, Fernandes, Eriksen and Casemiro all had chances but couldn’t make them count.
The Blades were never going to pepper United’s goal like so many other teams this season, but after Cameron Archer and Ben Brereton Diaz both tried their luck in quick succession, they were gifted a goal in the 35th minute.
Onana, who has been one of United’s few good performers recently, tried to pass out to Dalot but misjudged it totally. Jayden Fogle didn’t and he stole in to intercept the ball before drawing United’s keeper and beating him at his near post.
‘How s*** must you be, we’re winning away,’ sang the visiting fans, sensing only a second league win on the road this season.
However, Harry Maguire finally found a way past Foderingham to equalise against his old club in the 42nd minute after Auston Trusty fouled Mainoo on the edge of the box. Fernandes’ free kick ran through to the far side, but Garnacho retrieved it and crossed for Maguire, just onside, to flick a header inside the far post.
That should have settled United down but they were behind again within five minutes of the restart. Dalot was guilty of losing the ball close to his own box and Gustavo Hamer did well to feed Ben Osborn on the right. His pullback found Brereton Diaz unmarked and he converted from close range.
Ten Hag sent on Diallo for Antony and Dalot should have equalised again when he was clean through but allowed Trusty to get back and nick the ball off his toes.
However, the big defender was at fault on the hour mark when he grabbed hold of Maguire at a corner, and the United player didn’t need any more encouragement to go down. Dalot complained that he had turned the ball into the net but referee Michael Salisbury had already pointed to the spot and Fernandes converted.
Brereton Diaz gave United another scare when his deflected shot off Maguire rolled inches past the post, but Fernandes seemed to have had enough.
In the 81st minute he received the ball 20 yards from goal and fired a wonderful shot inside Foderingham’s left-hand post for his seventh league goal in six games.
Then he played the ball across the six-yard box for Hojlund to score the fourth. Where would United be without their captain?