Oli McBurnie and James McAtee on target as Sheffield United win at Birmingham

Posted Tuesday, May 09, 2023 by PA

Premier League-bound Sheffield United rounded off their Championship campaign by beating Birmingham 2-1.

Oli McBurnie opened the scoring early in the second half before James McActee doubled the lead soon after.

Dion Sanderson pulled a late goal back for Blues.

For much of the opening half the home side proved extremely hard to break down and they went close to taking the lead in the 14th minute when Lukas Jutkiewicz headed the ball against the bar.

Having lost three of their previous seven games in all competitions including a 1-0 defeat by Huddersfield last time out, it seemed United could be there for the taking.

But as the first half wore on they played their way in and Paul Heckingbottom’s men were twice denied by the post in the 33rd minute.

The first chance arrived after some patient passing on the edge of area led to Iliman Ndiaye cutting the ball back for Tommy Doyle, who curled his effort against the frame of the goal.

Birmingham failed to clear their lines following Doyle’s effort and fellow Manchester City loanee McAtee fired his attempt off the woodwork.

The Blades started the second half strongly and were ahead eight minutes in. Chris Basham found a pocket of space on the right wing and dinked a cross into an unmarked McBurnie to glanced his header into the bottom corner.

McActee doubled the lead only four minutes later. Jack Robinson curled a magnificent long ball in behind Birmingham’s defence to Ndiaye and he unselfishly squared it across to McActee who tapped it home.

Birmingham halved the deficit with 11 minutes left when Manchester United loanee Hannibal Mejbri sent a long free-kick into the box where fellow substitute Marc Roberts headed the ball down for Sanderson to volley home.