Swansea City vs Sheffield United. Sky Bet Championship.
Swansea.com StadiumAttendance13,373.
Swansea City 1
- F Bianchini (7th minute)
- H Darling (sent off 50th minute)
Sheffield United 2
- R Brewster (47th minute)
- H Burrows (68th minute pen)
Swansea City 1-2 Sheffield United: Rhian Brewster and Harrison Burrows score in Blades comeback win
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Swansea City and Sheffield United at the Swansea.com Stadium on Tuesday night; Rhian Brewster and a Harrison Burrows penalty earn comeback win for Blades; Harry Darling sent off for Swans.
Wednesday 22 January 2025 06:35, UK
Sheffield United took over at the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-1 comeback win at 10-man Swansea.
The Blades turned in a blunt first 45 minutes and trailed to Florian Bianchini's early goal.
But boss Chris Wilder made a triple substitution at half-time and his bold move was rewarded as Rhian Brewster and Harrison Burrows' penalty saw Sheffield United moves two points clear of Leeds at the league summit.
Leeds will return to top spot by beating Norwich at home on Wednesday.
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Swansea faced an uphill battle when, just moments after Brewster's equaliser at the start of the second half, Harry Darling crashed into the forward with excessive force and was given a straight red card.
There was an instant open feel about proceedings as Swansea's Liam Cullen fired straight at Michael Cooper and Gustavo Hamer rippled the side-netting at the other end.
Swansea led after seven minutes following Darling's burst forward from the back to draw a touchline foul.
Matt Grimes swung over a free-kick that Ben Cabango met powerfully and Cooper showed good reflexes to push out.
But Bianchini was in the right place to nod home the rebound and end a 13-game scoreless streak with his third Swansea goal.
Swansea's early intensity was the polar opposite of their timid derby display in losing 3-0 at Cardiff, and when Josh Tymon tested Cooper they had managed more on-target attempts in 13 minutes than in 90 on Saturday.
The Blades carried little threat, except for a Jack Robinson header which cleared the crossbar, and were fortunate to avoid calamity after 32 minutes.
Myles Peart-Harris broke into the box and appeared to be impeded by Rhys Norrington-Davies, the Wales defender having been cautioned earlier for dragging down the same player.
Had Peart-Harris gone to ground it might well have been a penalty and a red card for Norrington-Davies, but the Swansea forward stayed on his feet and the chance went begging.
The half ended as it began with Cullen and Hamer failing to take chances and the Blades were dealt a blow as the prominent Peart-Harris was felled again.
Hamer picked up his 10th booking of the season for the offence will now sit out games against Hull and Derby.
United equalised within two minutes of the restart as Femi Seriki - introduced at half-time alongside Sam McCallum and Tyrese Campbell - set up Brewster for a fine finish from 12 yards against the club where he had a successful loan spell five years ago.
Darling saw red three minutes later for his agricultural challenge on Brewster and McCallum blazed over before the winner came midway through the second half.
Josh Key, moved inside to centre-back in Darling's absence, lost the flight of Hamer's long ball and bundled over Campbell.
Burrows stepped up to score his second penalty in as many games and condemn Swansea to a fourth defeat in five games.
The managers
Swansea's Luke Williams:
"I felt like in the first half we were definitely the better team.
"Leeds are the only team comparable to this level of opposition in the Championship so I was really pleased with the response (after Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Cardiff), but ultimately it's really disappointing to not come away with any points."
On Darling's dismissal: "Personally I don't think it's a red card.
"It's not deliberate. It doesn't seem to be reckless with both feet off the ground so there's no way of anchoring yourself or slowing yourself down."
Sheffield United's Chris Wilder:
"We were miles off it first half. They were by far the better team in every department.
"We were just delighted we weren't out of sight and we needed more energy, but the early (second-half) goal gave us some drive and energy and from then it was game on.
"I don't think he (Darling) went to do him and smash him, for me it was a reckless and mistimed challenge. Rhian's OK, but I think it's a sending-off."
