The Blades dropped out of the play-off places after defeat at the Madejski Stadium as Reading came from behind to beat Neil Warnock's men. The Royals made the better start when Nicky Shorey's low cross was diverted goalwards by Shaun Goater but Blades goalkeeper Paddy Kenny saved easily. The Blades struck first with a simple goal in the tenth minute. A long throw by Rob Kozluk on the left caused mass confusion as three player’s went for the ball, only for the ball to fall to new signing Andy Gray to score on his debut volleying the ball past Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann from twelve yards. Lyoyd Owuso then went close for Reading breaking into the box before being blocked by Robert Page. In the 25th minute James Harper was brought down by Nick Montgomery. Steve Sidwell lined up over the ball for the Royals, but it was left-back Nicky Shorey who took the kick, bending his left-foot effort over the Blades wall and into the right top corner of the net beyond Paddy Kenny. In the 33rd minute Reading took the lead when Shorey sent Harper on a long run through heart of the Blades defence as United failed to stop the midfielders run into the penalty area; his jinking run caused panic as he cut on to his right foot ending in him being tripped by Blades Defender Mike Whitlow. Bermudan striker Goater stepped forward to blast the penalty high to Kenny's right to give the Royals the lead. At the start of the second half Owusu and Goater unsettled United with some good link play and Graeme Murty caught the eye with a succession of surging runs down the right. Parkinson went close when his 20 yard volley forced the American Keeper Hahnemann to tip the ball over the bar, and from a Michael Tonge corner Gray headed just wide. Then it was the turn of Montgomery who’s shot from inside the box went straight at the Reading keeper. Parkinson gave way to substitute Peter Ndlovu who immediately went close heading just wide of the mark, and from a Tonge corner Ward's header hit the post. Most of the game was now being conducted in the Reading half. Neil Warnock further showed his intention by bringing on striker Paul Peschisolido as United put Reading under severe pressure. In the 81st minute the Blades had a great chance of levelling when Peschisolido crossed for Gray but he could only guide his header straight at Hahnemann. At the other end, Harper nearly added a third for the Royals when his shot from 20 yards took two deflections but Kenny did really well to save low to his left, while substitute Dave Kitson pounced on a weak backpass to sprint goalwards and shoot from 12 yards, but yet again Kenny was equal to the task. In the final moments, Gray and Ward both went close with half chances. But for all United's second half pressure Reading survived and held on for a victory which puts them level in the league with the Blades.
Stuart McCall and Jonathan Forte are the only doubts for the match at the Madejski Stadium. McCall has a back strain picked up in training. Forte was carried off with an ankle problem toward the end of the match at Crewe. New signing Andy Gray will be the squad and should play some part in the match.
The Blades have today signed Andy Gray from Bradford City. The 26 year old Bantams attacking midfielder has scored 20 league goals in 77 appearances for Bradford since signing from Nottingham Forest. He was also a Scotland U21 International, and earned his first full Cap for Scotland in April 2003.
United have also signed former Charlton keeper Sasa Ilic until the end of the season. The 31-year-old Australian was a free agent after departing from Barnsley. Ilic has signed in time to be available for this weekend's trip to Reading. Alan Fettis' three-month stint is due to end early next month.
Sent-Off: Whitlow 28.
A goal six minutes from time from Nick Montgomery got the Blades back to winning ways at Gresty Road tonight. United who had rested experienced midfielder Stuart McCall and with Paul Peschisolido on the bench, were able to rely on other sources of inspiration for a battling victory. Seventeen-year-old Jonathan Forte was handed his first start and was outstanding with his strong running causing havoc in Crewe's back line. Ashley Ward led the line with a bustling presence which the Railwaymen were never able to cope with. Both Forte and Ward were involved in the Blades first real chance; from a Rob Kozluk throw-in on the left; Ward turned his defender to cross for Forte whose shot from 12 yards was palmed over by Crewe goalkeeper Clayton Ince for an impressive save. Crewe had a chance two minutes later; a long clearance from defender Stephen Foster led to a chance for the lively David Vaughan. But the Welshman’s shot was on target but Paddy Kenny moved across his 6 yard box to make the save look comfortable. Michael Tonge was back to his best and running the show in midfield with probing runs forward and he tested Ince with a rasping drive from 20 yards. Mike Whitlow who had earlier been booked for a foul on Crewe's starlet Dean Ashton was caught out in the 27th minute when Ashton's flick released Craig Hignett. The veteran midfielder was tripped by Whitlow as he broke into the Blades half and the centre-half was surprisingly handed a straight red. Surprising because Phil Jagielka was also present and would have almost certainly have caught Hignett. The on-loan Hignett soon became enemy number one for the Bladesmen on the terraces being booed every time he touched the ball. But, despite United being down to ten men, they continued to press Crewe and when Forte broke away from left-back Anthony Tonkin, Ince's parry only teed up Nick Montgomery, whose rebound effort was scrambled away for a corner. It was all United, Tonge’s surging runs forward, Wards strength holding the ball up and Fortes energetic youth. In the last minute of the half Crewe had a rare chance; Adie Moses picked out Steve Jones with a through ball and his cross just evaded Ashton at the far post. Shortly after the break Forte appeared to have caught Ince out with another blockbusting shot which the keeper could only push towards his own goal and was grateful that Foster was well positioned to head clear over his own crossbar. From the resulting corner Andy Parkinson called Ince into action yet again to tip over a right footed drive. The Blades were dominating the game and nearly rammed home the pressure from successive corners with Ince pushing Parkinson's shot over, and Hignett clearing off the line from a Ward goal bound header. Crewe were handed a lifeline when Jagielka supposedly tripped Steve Jones, although Jagielka clearly won the ball first. But, the referee immediately awarded Crewe a penalty, and justice was done when Ashton blasted his spot-kick high over the bar and Crewe were made to pay when United snatched a deserved winner six minutes from time. Substitute Peter Ndlovu scrambled free on the right of the box and in the melee that followed his cross, Ward let fly with a close range shot which rebounded for Montgomery to send in a looping a header over the stranded keeper and a defenders into the far corner. A great performance from United and 3 vaulable points which move the Blades back up to 4th Place in Division One.
The Blades threw away a lead and possibly their chances of automatic promotion as they tumbled to their fourth successive league defeat. West Brom's Darren Moore scored twice putting the ball into his own goal before grabbing an equaliser leaving Thomas Gaardsoe to stab the ball home for the Baggies winner. Paddy Kenny finger-tipped a Jason Koumas corner away with Lee Hughes closing as West Brom probed for an early opening. The breakthrough almost came in the 13th minute, Koumas given space on the right, picked out forward Geoff Horsfield who powered his header over from eight yards. Koumas caused problems 10 minutes after Lee Hughes flicked the ball into his path, with a surging run towards the Blades area with three defenders in pursuit, but with Kenny charging off his line he tried to steer the ball round him and prodded it wide of the far post. United's first real chance came on 30 minutes, when Rob Kozluk sent in form Paul Peschisolido weaving his way towards goal from the left flank, his right foot shot pushed round the post and into the side netting by Baggies goalkeeper Joe Murphy. Full back Kozluk was inches away from grabbing a spectacular opener minutes later. Michael Tonge's corner was headed clear to the defender lurking out side the area and from 25 yards his right foot valley zipped wide of the target. Hughes was handed a chance minutes before the interval racing clear of his marker but his fierce shot was powered too close to Kenny who dived to his right to smother the ball. United swept ahead in the 57th minute, midfielder Nick Montgomery lashed in a low cross from the right; the ball hitting defender Moore's chest and going over the line. Moore made amends in the 70th minute climbing to meet a Koumas corner to finish with a firm header, the ball taking a slight deflection to spin beyond Kenny's reach. With 6 minutes remaining the Baggies got their winning goal; after a shot from Sean Gregan the ball was passed out to the right flank where Dutchman Joost Volmer crossed for Koumas who headed back for Gaardsoe to place the ball past Kenny. This defeat drops United down to 6th place in the division and puts them 11 points behind second placed West Brom.
Neil Warnock breathed a sigh of relief after a scan revealed Michael Tonge's knee injury is not serious. The 20-year-old midfielder sustained the injury against Crystal Palace earlier this month and it was feared he had damaged ligaments.” We are delighted that all his scans show no damage to either cartilage or ligaments, The result is he can now start light training, but it is too early at this stage to tell how long he will be out for." said Warnock.
The Blades booked their place in the FA Cup 6th Round thanks to a second half goal from Paul Peschisolido. Colchester were certainly up for the cup and started the brightest of the two teams, pinning the Blades back early on. In the 6th minute a long range shot from Frenchman Thomas Pinault deflected to cause Blades goalkeeper Paddy Kenny an early tester. Four minutes later U’s Karl Duguid headed clear from just off the goal line under pressure from Peschisolido. Minutes later the Blades had a great chance to open the scoring, Peschisolido crossed for Wayne Allison, but the ‘chief’ facing an open goal could only direct his shot wide. The Blades created the better chances through the ever quick thinking of Peschisolido. Twice he unselfishly squared to Wayne Allison and Phil Jagielka, who both fluffed simple opportunities. The U's best chance came just after half time when Rowan Vine bore down on goal. But the striker took a touch too many and Robert Page recovered for the Blades. After an hour the Blades took the lead, an Alan Wright free-kick from the left found Peschisolido; who stooped down from close range to head the Blades into the lead and score his ninth goal of the season. Moments later, Colchester goalkeeper Brown denied the trickery of Ndlovu; palming away the Zimbabweans effort, before Kem Izzet fired a 20-yard effort just wide of Kenny's upright after good build-up play from the U's. Substitute Andy Parkinson recalled from his loan spell found the outstanding Peschisolido who got onto the wingers cross but was blocked by Sam Stockley. In the final moments Kenny had a brief moment of worry when spilled Pinaults shot, only to gather it with Izzet lingering. Despite a late rally from the U's; the Blades held on for victory and a place in the quarter-finals.
Dean Sturridge has returned to Wolves for treatment on his hamstring injury. The on-loan striker, who signed a three-month deal with the Blades earlier this year, has been plagued by a hamstring complaint ever since arriving at the Lane. Sturridge suffered a new setback at the weekend when he limped off during the match against Crystal Palace. United are bemused by medical reports from Wolves that he also has a damaged knee. Neil Warnock commented "Hearing that Dean has apparently got a knee injury is a surprise to us. He never mentioned it when he was here and there was no sign of it."
Chris Morgan is already on the road to recovery after his knee operation last week. The Blades defender had key-hole surgery on his left knee to remove some cartilage and he was expected to be sidelined for six weeks. "They said six, but obviously I will try and get back quicker," said Morgan "My rehab started virtually as soon as I came round from the anaesthetic, tightening the quads and flexing my ankle - all of that will help when I start my training properly." United have sorely missed Morgan’s presence in the centre of defence since his injury at last week at Pride Park.
Dean Sturridge is facing several of weeks out after injuring his hamstring again at the weekend. Sturridge has started just two games for the Blades since signing on-loan from Wolves at the start of the year. The striker limped off minutes into the second half after breaking down with a the injury. Boss Neil Warnock admitted there was a problem with the player's fitness "Dean's not been right really since he came. He's disappointed, He wasn't fully right when he first came and we've suffered by that really. He's not really got into the swing of things and now he's pulled up again."
The Blades lost their third consecutive match today as goals either side of half time by Andy Johnson, Tony Popovic and Neil Shipperley saw Crystal Palace continue their climb towards the play-offs. For Untied, it was also the third consecutive in match in which they have failed to score a goal. Buoyed by their recent form, Palace started brightly. Popovic going close, before Danny Butterfield tested the frame of a goal with a 25-yard volley. After 3 minutes United produced a nice move which ended with Michael Tonge firing his 20 yard shot just wind of the post. Moments later Paul Peschisolido went close for United when Rob Kozluk and Paul Shaw put the Canadian striker though, but Peschisolido fired just wide of the Eagles post. Rob Kozluk nearly gifted Palace the lead on 34 minutes, when Johnson intercepted his header back to the goalkeeper. But the striker's first touch let him down and Paddy Kenny recovered. Kenny had to be alert on 42 minutes to tip over Butterfield's audacious 30-yard lob, but from the resulting corner Johnson coolly converted Danny Granville's deflected cross for his 21st goal of the season. Within seconds of the start of the second half; United had their best chance to hit back. Straight from the kick-off a long ball forward found Shaw who flicked the ball on to Dean Sturridge on the right, but the on-loan striker could only blast his shot over the crossbar and into the Kop. This was Sturridge’s last contribution to the match; he appeared to have pulled a hamstring and was withdrawn by Wayne Allison. Popovic doubled the Eagles lead after 56 minutes when he capitalised on Kenny's failure to judge a deep Wayne Routledge cross to prod the ball home. Peter Ndlovu who had only just arrived home from the African Cup of Nations replaced Paul Shaw and was immediately involved in the action, firing over from distance. Palace goalkeeper Cedric Berthelin was then called upon to deny a melee of Blades players, who all failed to bundle the ball home from inside the six yard box. Palace's fifth consecutive away win was sealed by Shipperley, who hammered home a cross from Shaun Derry three minutes from time. It was a disappointing performance from the Blades, but every team gets at least one of these frustrating matches every season. United are still in 4th position in Division One, and still well placed for automatic promotion.
The Blades will be without the services of Chris Morgan for several weeks. The defender has under-gone a cartilage operation after an injury picked up at Derby last week. Manager Neil Warnock confirmed “Chris is having a cartilage operation which means we will be without him for several weeks".
Blades transfer target Lee Morris has signed for Leicester City when it seemed the ex-United player would be rejoining the Blades. The player has opted to move to the Premiership with the East Midlands club and he will go into the squad for Saturday's away clash at Newcastle. It was thought Morris was keen to return to Bramall Lane - at least that’s what he had us all believe!. At the weekend Neil Warnock said "We've got everything sorted out now, Lee has been for some X-rays that we have to do. It's now just a matter of dotting the 'Is' and crossing the 'Ts'.". But yet again the lure of the Premiership and bigger wages has made all the difference.