Newly promoted sides can often take a month or two to find their feet in the Premier League, but Sheffield United are yet to properly stand up in 2023/24.
Monday night provided yet another reminder of the Blades’ feeble campaign as they slipped to a 4-0 deficit inside 25 minutes of Monday night’s clash with title hopefuls Arsenal.
Chis Wilder’s outfit produced a truly sorry performance. Martin Odegaard opened the floodgates in the fifth minute and the hosts were powerless to stop the flow of Gunners attacks towards their goal.
Jayden Bogle put one into his own net in the 13th minute before Gabriel Martinelli made it 3-0 moments later. The Brazilian was involved in the fourth, teeing up Kai Havertz to put Mikel Arteta’s side into a truly dominant position.
Declan Rice made it five before the break, handing Arsenal one of the biggest leads at half-time in Premier League history.
This could be a long night for Sheffield United. 😬 pic.twitter.com/p0Cc7mw3V2
— 90min (@90min_Football) March 4, 2024
you fear for Sheffield United
— Adam Hurrey (@FootballCliches) March 4, 2024
https://t.co/DlwNyKi8uj pic.twitter.com/Z3z7d0zBrG
— Jacob Culshaw (@jacob_culshaw) March 4, 2024
Suspect @SheffieldUnited not getting anything out of this game.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) March 4, 2024
A cacophony of Boos ringing out at Bramall Lane
Fans going home on 24 minutes.
Record Premier League defeat waiting in the wings perhaps?#SHUARS
— Dan Tracey (@dantracey1983) March 4, 2024
Sheffield United and Burnley really just wasted everyone’s time this year
— Lyés (@LyesBouzidi10) March 4, 2024
I wince every time Sheffield United concede a goal at this point, this is painful
— Mitch (@mitchwilks) March 4, 2024
4-0 Havertz inside 25 minutes… home fans are leaving in droves. Rarely seen anything like this.
— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) March 4, 2024
Thankfully for Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, the visitors decided to ease up a little in the second half. Ben White’s strike was the only goal of the second 45 minutes, though that was still enough to consign the Blades to their second-worst Premier League defeat ever.
Their top-six losses have all arrived this season, shipping eight to Newcastle in September, six to Arsenal on Monday night and five to Brighton, Aston Villa, Burnley and the Gunners in the reverse fixture.
The heavy defeat is the latest indication Sheffield United are set for relegation and another reminder of Arsenal’s league title prospects. The north London giants have now won their last three away league games in the top flight by five-goal margins or more, becoming only the second team to achieve that feat since Burnley in September 1961.
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