Welbeck goal is a blade in the heart of Wilder
DANNY WELBECK broke 10- man Sheffield United’s heart just when it seemed Chris Wilder’s side were going to snatch a first win of the season.
A fully- deserved point that doubled their paltry total for the season must have felt like a defeat for the Blades.
Brighton had been banging on the door from the moment John Lundstram was sent off following a VAR and touchline monitor review for a wild 40th- minute challenge on Joel Veltman.
But when 20- year- old substitute Jayden Bogle, in his first Premier League appearance, fired the visitors in front after 63 minutes, it looked like a minor miracle was on the cards.
There was to be a dramatic twist in the tale, though, with just three minutes remaining.
Leandro Trossard’s cross fell to substitute Welbeck via Chris Basham, and the former Manchester United and England striker swept the ball home to steal a point for the Seagulls.
Blades manager Wilder said he was “gutted” by the result. He added: “The draw is a small step for us but of course when you get that close it’s disappointing not to see the game out.
“Obviously, when you’re down to 10 men with 50 minutes to play you’re in for a long afternoon.
“Our ambition was to try to get the first goal, which we did, and then keep the ball out of the net – and we did not quite manage that.”
Brighton boss Graham Potter, who has only two wins from 14 league games this season, said: “You have to make the numerical advantage count and we didn’t do that enough. The red card changed things and made it more defence versus attack.
“We needed to not get caught out by that but we did. We did show character at the end but it’s a point that we have to make do with and that is disappointing.” BRIGHTON ( 3- 4- 3): Sanchez 6; White 6 ( Zeqiri 71, 6), Webster 6, Dunk 6; Veltman 6 ( Jahanbakhsh 46, 6), Bissouma 6, Lallana 5, March 7; Trossard 6, Maupay 6 ( Welbeck 65, 6), Connolly 5. Goal: Welbeck 87. SHEFFIELD UNITED ( 5- 3- 2): Ramsdale 7; Baldock 6, Basham 7, Egan 8, Robinson 7, Stevens 6; Lundstram 4, Ampadu 6, Fleck 4 ( Burke 32, 6); McGoldrick 6 ( Osborn 69, 6), Brewster 5 ( Bogle 52, 7). Lundstram 40.
Bogle 63.