Sheffield United’s striker Ollie McBurnie salvaged a last-gasp equalizer to secure a 2-2 draw at home against Chelsea in their crucial battle for survival in the Premier League on Sunday.
Despite the Blades remaining at the bottom of the table with 16 points from seven games left, Chelsea sits ninth with 44 points, extending their unbeaten league streak to seven matches.
For much of the game, it appeared the hosts were headed for yet another defeat until McBurnie’s late intervention.
United’s defensive lapses were evident early on when Chelsea’s Thiago Silva found himself unmarked at a corner in the 11th minute, heading home to open the scoring.
Chelsea Team (Credits: Premier League)
However, Jayden Bogle leveled the scores in the 32nd minute.
Gustavo Hamer’s exquisite pass pierced the Blues’ defense, setting up Bogle, who beat goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic at the near post, sparking jubilant scenes among the home fans.
The Blades emerged strongly in the second half, fashioning several opportunities to seize the lead. McBurnie narrowly missed a header in the 49th minute, while Hamer’s audacious attempt with the outside of his boot found the side netting five minutes later.
However, United’s defensive frailty was exposed once more in the 66th minute when Cole Palmer fed Noni Madueke, who rifled a shot past Ivo Grbic to restore Chelsea’s advantage.
Chelsea and Sheffield United (Credits: Premier League)
Nevertheless, the Blades continued to press forward, and McBurnie capitalized on a loose ball in the box three minutes into stoppage time, rifling home from close range to level the scores.
Despite having a late numerical advantage on the counter-attack, the home side couldn’t convert, and the game ended in a draw.
Speaking after the match, McBurnie emphasized the importance of building on their performances, stating, “There’s still plenty of games to play and it about building on the performances. We are not looking too far ahead.”
Reflecting on Chelsea’s performance, a disappointed Madueke admitted, “There is some positives for sure, but this is our Achilles heel, the next game after a top result – we haven’t been able to do well in that department so far.”
