Oliver McBurnie’s stoppage-time goal gave Sheffield United a second equalizer and a 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Bramall Lane on Sunday.
Thiago Silva gave the Blues an early lead that Jayden Bogle took away before halftime, but Noni Madueke struck in the second half to restore Chelsea’s advantage.
Bogle then helped a long an aerial ball that McBurnie snuck past Djordje Petrovic in the 92nd minute, giving the Blades a point and depriving Chelsea of all three points.
WATCH SHEFFIELD UNITED vs CHELSEA LIVE
The Blues move onto 44 points after claiming five points this week beginning with a 2-2 draw with Burnley and a 4-3 victory over Manchester United prior to this draw. Their European hopes are alive, having played the fewest matches in the league and sitting just five points behind sixth-place Manchester United.
As for the Blades (16 points), well, they may need to double their season points haul over the final seven games to have hope of a great escape. Time is running out on Chris Wilder’s men but this was a nice moment for the home crowd.
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Chelsea roller coaster refuses to stop
It’s been seven-straight games without a Premier League loss for Chelsea, who have also reached the FA Cup semifinals and challenged a League Cup semifinal over the past month and a half.
Yet it just feels so dizzy, doesn’t it? Only three matches of the unbeaten run gave them all three points— away to Palace, and home to Newcastle and Manchester United — and none of those were straightforward.
Chelsea is young, for sure, and the Blues are grinding out results for Mauricio Pochettino, but they’re still so far from the finished product.
A lot of that isn’t their fault, as the roller coaster ride of a season isn’t just about performances — Wesley Fofana, Reece James, Levi Colwill, Christopher Nkunku, and Ben Chilwell are all out and most of those names have missed huge chunks of the season.
There’s a lot more to like in Chelsea’s future than fellow big name strugglers Manchester United, but Pochettino will still have expected to claim all the points from nights these these. Onward, he goes.
Sheffield United 2-2 Chelsea player ratings (fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Sheffield United go to Brentford at 10am ET Saturday, while Chelsea wait til Monday, April 15, and a 3pm visit from Everton.
How to watch Sheffield United vs Chelsea live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 12:30 pm ET, Sunday
TV Channel: NBC
Online: Watch live online via NBC.com & Peacock Premium
Sheffield United vs Chelsea final score: 2-2
Goalscorers: Silva (11'), Bogle (32'), Madueke (66'), McBurnie (90+2')
Sheffield United vs Chelsea live updates — By Nick Mendola
Oli McBurnie goal — Sheffield United 2-2 Chelsea (90+2' minute)
It’s deserved but was it coming? This is a very gritty goal, as Gustavo Hamer and Jayden Bogle both nod desperation headers toward goal.
McBurnie never stopped following the orb and takes it off the deck and puts it behind Petrovic for an equalizer!
Noni Madueke goal! Sheffield United 1-2 Chelsea (66th minute)
Cole Palmer drives the center of the pitch before laying off to Noni Madueke.
It’s all about the 22-year-old from there, who finds the space he wants to beat Ivo Grbic and restore Chelsea’s lead.
Halftime — Sheffield United 1-1 Chelsea
This is a fair 1-1.
Yes, Chelsea have had nearly three-quarters of the ball, but Blades have put four of their five shots on target and are clearly executing Chris Wilder’s plan.
Level terms — Sheffield United 1-1 Chelsea (32nd minute)
Good play from Oliver McBurnie and Gustavo Hamer help spring Jayden Bogle into the 18.
Bogle has a tight angle and hits a hard shot that defies Djordje Petrovic. It’s 1-1 and the keeper should have done better.
A goal already! — Sheffield United 0-1 Chelsea (10th minute)
Conor Gallagher whips a free kick into the mixer, and it bounds through bodies to Thiago Silva, who keeps his focus and bundles a bouncing shot home for 1-0.
Sheffield United lineup
Grbic, Trusty, Holgate, Osborn, Ahmedhodzic, Arblaster, Osborn, Robinson, Bogle, Brereton Diaz, McBurnie.
Chelsea lineup
Petrovic, Chalobah, Disasi, Silva, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Gallagher, Madueke, Palmer, Jackson
Sheffield United focus, team news
Sheffield United have just one new injury to report: Star midfielder Gustavo Hamer (3 goals, 4 assists) picked up a knock and was forced off during Thursday’s defeat to Liverpool.
OUT: John Egan (ankle), George Baldock (calf), Max Lowe (ankle), Chris Basham (ankle), Tom Davies (knock), Daniel Jebbison (illness), Rhys Norrington-Davies (thigh), Rhian Brewster (thigh) | QUESTIONABLE: Gustavo Hamer (undisclosed)
Chelsea focus, team news
Pochettino revealed this week that summer signing Christopher Nkunku might not feature for Chelsea again this season: “I don’t know. Still, we don’t know. At the moment we do not know when it is possible for him to start training with the team. At the moment he is not training with us.”
OUT: Christopher Nkunku (thigh), Levi Colwill (foot), Reece James (thigh), Romeo Lavia (hamstring - out for season), Wesley Fofana (torn ACL - out for season), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring) | QUESTIONABLE: Ben Chilwell (knee), Robert Sanchez (undisclosed)