Sunderland’s emphatic victory over Sheffield United on New Year’s Day kept their automatic promotion hopes alive, as they closed the gap on the Championship leaders. A brilliant goal from Wilson Isidor secured the win, extending Sunderland’s unbeaten home record this season and keeping them in fourth place, just two points behind second-placed Burnley and three behind leaders Leeds.
Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United, on the other hand, have now gone three games without a win, and the defeat left them struggling in third place, three points behind the leaders and with their grip on automatic promotion weakening. Despite missing an early penalty, Sheffield United fought hard, creating a tense and dramatic match.
The evening was marked by a series of key moments. In the 14th minute, Sheffield United was awarded a penalty after Sunderland’s Luke O’Nien was penalized for tugging Kieffer Moore’s shirt in the box. However, Moore’s penalty was poorly struck, and Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson was quick to save with his legs. This miss proved crucial, as Sunderland responded with a clinical goal from Eliezer Mayenda. A defensive error from Sheffield United allowed Mayenda to break through on goal, and he calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Michael Cooper with a fine left-foot shot.
Sheffield United responded quickly, with Gus Hamer’s low cross-shot deflecting off O’Nien and into his own net to level the score. The match remained tight, but Sunderland’s counter-attacking style proved effective. Isidor, in particular, was a constant threat. After winning possession in midfield, the Zenit Saint Petersburg loanee showed great composure to dance past Anel Ahmedhodzic and score with a low, angled shot past Cooper, putting Sunderland back in front.
The goal marked Isidor’s seventh of the season, and his performance only added to the growing belief that he could be the solution to Sunderland’s striker search. Meanwhile, Mayenda and Adil Aouchiche impressed with their pace and skill, stretching Sheffield United’s defense and forcing them into difficult situations. Despite this, Wilder’s team continued to push forward, but they were unable to find the quality needed to break down Sunderland’s defense.
Sunderland’s manager, Régis Le Bris, had set up his team with a counter-attacking game plan, and it paid off as his side repeatedly exploited the space left by Sheffield United’s high defensive line. The Wearsiders were solid at the back, with Chris Mepham and O’Nien putting in strong performances. However, despite their advantage, Sunderland’s tendency to concede late goals this season remained a concern, especially with Sheffield United pushing hard in the final stages of the match.
Le Bris acknowledged that his team had less control of the ball than usual but praised their ability to remain a constant threat on the counter-attack. The win was a significant boost for Sunderland, who have shown they are capable of competing with the best in the league. With the promotion race still wide open, the result left them in a strong position to challenge for automatic promotion as the season progresses.
