Wilder smiling again after half-time rollicking transforms the Blades
Chris Wilder warned that there is something about Carrow road that turns him into ‘a grumpy old git’. After George Baldock inspired a comeback victory with a goal and an assist in four rampant second-half minutes, the sheffield United manager was beaming as his side recorded their first win in five Premier league matches. But his players had experienced a rollicking from Wilder at the interval, so furious was he at witnessing a meandering first-half performance. ‘You can safely say yes,’ Wilder said when asked if he tore into his team at half-time. ‘if we play like that again in this division, we are going to get hurt.’ Baldock set up enda stevens for an equaliser before turning from provider to scorer, slaloming around a handful of
Norwich players with his back to goal before sweeping home from the edge of the area. Wilder’s men are unbeaten in their eight away games in the Premier league and move up to eighth in the table. ‘We came roaring back,’ Wilder said. ‘This was as tough as any of them. i thought it was a dangerous game for us because of the familiarity between both teams. Maybe the boys thought it would be easier.’ VAr had again threatened to ruin Wilder’s day — there was a question of handball in Norwich’s opener through Alexander Tettey — but then sensationally saved it when
Chris Basham had a red card overturned with 16 minutes remaining. Norwich were good value for their first-half advantage. They beat the Blades to the Championship title last season with a fluid passing style but began here with a long-ball approach, looking to stretch the defence with Teemu Pukki a willing runner for anything that went over the top. For all their industry, they hadn’t forged an opening before Tettey fired them into the lead in the 27th minute. he met emiliano Buendia’s corner but his header was miscued and looped high into the air. Christoph
Zimmermann and David McGoldrick then jostled unsuccessfully for the second ball and it appeared to brush the defender’s arm on its way back down, before the Canaries captain pounced and rifled home a sweet left-footed strike. The visitors were incensed and went straight to referee Simon Hooper, but VAR confirmed the goal before Norwich’s players had finished celebrating. Wilder galvanised his side at the interval and they thought they had a third moments after Baldock scored. Basham tumbled in the penalty area before John Lundstram picked up the loose ball and fired home. But a lengthy VAR check showed that Lundstram was offside, so no penalty was given and no goal was awarded either. United were defending sternly but momentum looked set for one last shift when Basham was shown a straight red on 74 minutes after catching Kenny McLean with what looked like a reckless challenge. But referee Hooper saw his decision overturned and, amid howls of fury from the home fans, Basham trotted back on to the pitch and was instead shown a yellow card. There was a final chance for Norwich — substitute Todd
Cantwell came close to levelling but Henderson rode to United’s rescue, turning the ball around the post with a superb left-handed save. It was another damaging defeat for Norwich after going down 2-1 to fellow relegation candidates Southampton in midweek. They are five points adrift of safety. ‘We had a great chance today to win and be back in the mix,’ said Farke. ‘A really good first half, we deserved to be ahead and then unbelievable disappointment. Out of nothing we were behind and it was a shock to my young side. We tried everything to turn the game, the save from Cantwell was unbelievable. We’re struggling with self confidence.’ NORWICH (4-2-3-1): Krul 6; Aarons 6, Zimmermann 6, Godfrey 5, Byram 6 (Lewis 72min, 6); Tettey 7, Vrancic 6 (Srbeny 81); Hernandez 5 (Cantwell 72, 6) McLean 5, Buendia 5; Pukki 6. Subs not used: Fahrmann, Stiepermann, Trybull, Amadou. Scorer: Tettey 27. SHEFFIELD UNITED (4-4-2): Henderson 7; Basham 6, Egan 6, O’Connell 6, BALDOCK 8; Lundstram 6, Norwood 6 (Besic 65, 6), Fleck 7, Stevens 7; McGoldrick 5 (McBurnie 83) Mousset 5 (Robinson 65, 6).
Subs not used: Moore, Freeman, Sharp,
Jagielka. Scorers: Stevens 49, Baldock 53. Booked: Egan, Norwood, Robinson. Referee: Simon Hooper 6. Attendance: 26,881.