By JOHN WRAGG at the bet365 Stadium

SHEFFIELD UNITED need to win their run of home matches to get back in the promotion race.

This was only the blunted Blades’ second defeat in 15 league games, but it knocks them back in the congested race for the play-offs.

They begin a run of successive fixtures at Bramall Lane against QPR on Tuesday. Then it’s Bournemouth and Reading.

The Blades have not won away in five so home form is imperative.

“Our home form is good and we have to take advantage of that,” said boss Paul Heckingbottom.

“We have three at home coming up and overall it’s five out of seven.

“We didn’t play well today and I’m disappointed. Even though we were below our level I thought we could have got a point.”

Sheffield United are only a point outside the play-offs but there are so many clubs in with a chance of the top six there is little leeway for them.

The points were settled when Stoke defender Josh Tymon got forward in the 77th minute and his shot deflected off John Egan and beat Wes Foderingham.

Stoke boss Michael O’neill said: “We haven’t had many situations that have gone our way recently, so I’ll happily take that.

“I thought we were the better team in the second half. Sheffield United have been doing very well.

“We wanted to get Tymon forward and it worked out well. He’d put in a few good crosses and then he gets that goal for us.”

STOKE CITY: Bonham 6; Wilmot 6, Jagielka 7, Harwoodbellis 7, Tymon 7; Allen 6, Thompson 6, Vrancic 6 (Sawyers 63, 6); Brown 6, Maja 6 (Fletcher 86), Wright-phillips 6 (Campbell 70, 5).

Subs not used: Bursik, Chester, Clucas, Forrester.

SHEFF UTD: Foderingham 6; Davies 6, Egan 6, Robinson 6; Baldock 6, Berge 6, Norwood 6 (Ndiaye 69, 5), Fleck 6, Norringtondavies 6; Gibbs-white 8 (Osborn 79); Jebbison 5 (Osula 78).

Subs not used: Davies, Stevens, Hourihane, Uremovic.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Morgan Gibbs-white. His quality stood out amid the general mediocrity.

REFEREE: David Webb 6.