Sheffield United 3-0 Sunderland

John Lundstram (right) gave Sheffield United the lead with his second goal of the season

Sheffield United picked up their first win in seven games with a comfortable victory over struggling Sunderland.

The Blades took a deserved lead when John Lundstram showed good composure to guide the ball home.

Richard Stearman doubled their advantage with a header from Mark Duffy's free-kick after the break before George Baldock headed a third.

Defeat leaves Chris Coleman's side 22nd in the Championship, one point adrift of safety.

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Victory for Chris Wilder's men saw them move back into the play-off positions.

The Blades were on top throughout and should have taken an early lead when Clayton Donaldson placed his shot wide after being played in on goal.

Once Lundstram gave the hosts the lead they were in total control and could have won by more had Leon Clarke and Enda Stevens not got in each other's way in front of goal late on.

They travel to lowly Bolton on Saturday, while the Black Cats, who were missing top scorer Lewis Grabban with a calf injury, face a trip to Nottingham Forest.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder:

"I've put them under a bit of pressure recently and we have slipped our standards but I thought that the performance at Villa Park, coming back from 2-0 down, spoke volumes about what they are about really.

"I thought the players' performance at Villa Park was absolutely outstanding - their attitude and the courage to get themselves off the canvas to get a big result.

"I believe it was a big result, not the biggest point in Sheffield United's history, but I thought it was a big step forward and it was important we carried it on.

"And we did and we got a little bit of the old swagger back that has seen us produce those type of performances in the first half of the season."

Sunderland manager Chris Coleman:

"It is a bitterly disappointing performance. As soon as we went 1-0 down we just accepted a low-level performance from each other.

"It is the first time I have seen from them - when you are in that position it's not anger, it's apathy which is very, very dangerous. So it was a lot of food for thought looking at it.

"Seven games and four weeks I've been here and I have never seen that performance. We haven't won every game but we've been in games but we were never in that game, not really.

"We were up against a Sheffield United team (that were) stronger, quicker and looked hungrier, fitter. Unless we get better or show better than that we aren't going to get away from where we are."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Sheff Utd

• 1Moore
• 16Carter-Vickers
• 19Stearman
• 5O'Connell
• 2Baldock
• 6BashamBooked at 77mins
• 7Lundstram
• 3Stevens
• 21DuffySubstituted forCarruthersat 75'minutes
• 9ClarkeSubstituted forLaveryat 84'minutes
• 11DonaldsonSubstituted forLaffertyat 89'minutes

Substitutes

• 8Thomas
• 10Sharp
• 13Wright
• 22Lavery
• 24Lafferty
• 27Blackman
• 44Carruthers

Sunderland

• 25Ruiter
• 18Browning
• 16O'Shea
• 36WilsonBooked at 50mins
• 21Matthews
• 27GoochSubstituted forAsoroat 67'minutes
• 24Gibson
• 26HoneymanSubstituted forMcManamanat 79'minutes
• 3OviedoBooked at 58mins
• 19McGeady
• 9VaughanSubstituted forMajaat 79'minutes

Substitutes

• 1Steele
• 2Jones
• 13McManaman
• 20Maja
• 22Love
• 29Asoro
• 40Embleton

Referee:

Peter Bankes

Attendance:

30,668

Match Stats

Home TeamSheff UtdAway TeamSunderland

Possession

Home53%

Away47%

Shots

Home10

Away7

Shots on Target

Home4

Away0

Corners

Home6

Away0

Fouls

Home12

Away11

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Sheffield United 3, Sunderland 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+3'

Second Half ends, Sheffield United 3, Sunderland 0.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt blocked. Josh Maja (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Marc Wilson.

Substitution

Posted at 89'

Substitution, Sheffield United. Daniel Lafferty replaces Clayton Donaldson.

Posted at 88'

Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Aiden McGeady.

Posted at 86'

Cameron Carter-Vickers (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Joel Asoro (Sunderland).

Substitution

Posted at 84'

Substitution, Sheffield United. Caolan Lavery replaces Leon Clarke.

Posted at 82'

Clayton Donaldson (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 82'

Foul by John O'Shea (Sunderland).

Posted at 81'

Attempt missed. Josh Maja (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Adam Matthews with a cross.

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Sunderland. Josh Maja replaces James Vaughan.

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Sunderland. Callum McManaman replaces George Honeyman.

Posted at 79'

Attempt missed. Bryan Oviedo (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Marc Wilson.

Booking

Posted at 77'

Chris Basham (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 77'

Foul by Chris Basham (Sheffield United).

Posted at 77'

George Honeyman (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution

Posted at 75'

Substitution, Sheffield United. Samir Carruthers replaces Mark Duffy.

Posted at 71'

Attempt blocked. Marc Wilson (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Aiden McGeady.

Posted at 69'

Attempt missed. Aiden McGeady (Sunderland) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.

Substitution

Posted at 67'

Substitution, Sunderland. Joel Asoro replaces Lynden Gooch.

Posted at 66'

Attempt missed. Enda Stevens (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Mark Duffy with a through ball.

Posted at 63'

Clayton Donaldson (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Marc Wilson (Sunderland).

Goal!

Posted at 62'

Goal! Sheffield United 3, Sunderland 0. George Baldock (Sheffield United) header from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Jack O'Connell with a cross.

Posted at 60'

George Baldock (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Bryan Oviedo (Sunderland).

Goal!

Posted at 58'

Goal! Sheffield United 2, Sunderland 0. Richard Stearman (Sheffield United) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mark Duffy following a set piece situation.

Booking

Posted at 58'

Bryan Oviedo (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 58'

Leon Clarke (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 58'

Foul by Bryan Oviedo (Sunderland).

Posted at 55'

Foul by George Baldock (Sheffield United).

Posted at 55'

Bryan Oviedo (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 53'

Foul by Chris Basham (Sheffield United).

Posted at 53'

James Vaughan (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 52'

Attempt missed. Leon Clarke (Sheffield United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Mark Duffy with a cross following a corner.

Posted at 52'

Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Bryan Oviedo.

Posted at 52'

Attempt blocked. Jack O'Connell (Sheffield United) header from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Leon Clarke with a cross.

Booking

Posted at 50'

Marc Wilson (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 50'

Clayton Donaldson (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

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