Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JOSE: ‘OFFICE’ REF TO BLAME
first time remains on. They looked short of confidence initially following a three-match losing run, and early on Spurs were a threat as Eric Dier went close with a header and Kane blazed wide.
Then the hosts produced their first moment of quality to take the lead on 31 minutes – their first league goal since the restart.
George Baldock fed the overlapping Chris Basham on the right and he pulled the ball back to the unmarked Sander Berge, who was able to take a touch before shooting home.berge should never have been allowed so much time and space, but Davinson Sanchez and Serge Aurier had automatically retreated towards their goalline.
Kane thought he had levelled 60 seconds later, only for his effort to be controversially disallowed.
Moura’s hand touched the ball as he fell over after being fouled by John
Egan, and it broke to
Kane to score.
VAR official
Michael Oliver ruled it out because the law states that any handball, even accidental, by an attacking player in the build-up to a goal must be chalked off.
The controversy knocked Spurs out of their stride and the Blades should have added a second when Hugo Lloris failed to cut out Berge’s cross and David Mcgoldrick shot into the side netting.
But it was only a temporary reprieve for Tottenham and the Blades took advantage of some awful defending to score a fine second on 69 minutes. Enda Stevens linked with Ben Osborn and the Irishman centred for Lys Mousset (below) to tap home with the Spurs defence just watching.
The visitors fell apart after that and United sliced them open again six minutes from time.
Stevens linked with Berge and the Norwegian beat Heung-min Son on the goalline before crossing for Oli Mcburnie to score a simple third.
Kane did find the net with one that counted in the final minute, but it was of small consolation.