Sheffield United stunned as Hull claims huge win
Sheffield United missed the chance to move back to the top of the EFL Championship after a humbling 3-0 defeat at home to Hull City, which moved out of the bottom three as a result of the win.
It is only the second time this season the Blades had tasted defeat at Bramall Lane, and leaves them still a point behind league Leader Leeds United.
Should Burnley win when it hosts Leeds next Tuesday (AEDT), Sheffield United will slip to third as the race for the title and the top two automatic spots for promotion to the Premier League took another giant twist.
Hull went ahead courtesy of a sensational strike by Matt Crooks, who ran on to a loose ball and curled it in at the far post after a swift Hull break from a Sheffield United corner.
Thereafter, possession was dominated by the hosts, but Hull remained organised defensively and limited Chris Wilder's side to barely any chances before the break.
Indeed the hosts didn't produce a shot on target until the 51st minute.
Substitute Tyrese Campbell did put the ball in the net for the hosts on 57 minutes, only for it to be ruled out for a controversial offside call.
Replays showed Sean McLoughlin may have been playing the Blades attackers onside, and six minutes later, United's misery was compounded as the Tigers stung United again.
Cody Drameh put a hopeful ball into the box and Matty Jacob toe-poked it past Michael Cooper in the Blades goal to double the visitors' lead.
Wilder had by this point thrown on all his attacking options from the bench, but it made little difference to the patterns of play as Hull time and again thwarted every attempt the hosts made to create anything.
Two minutes from time, the result was sealed when Joao Pedro skipped into the box and provided a ball across the Blades' six-yard box that Harrison Burrows could only deflect into his own net.
Hull has now won its past three away matches without conceding a goal for the first time since 2011, and moved from third bottom up to 18th on 29 points ahead of the weekend's other fixtures, two points ahead of the nearest relegation spot, currently occupied by Derby County.
It was just its second victory in its past 18 trips to Sheffield United in a run dating back to 1971.
Sheffield United remains in second place on 58 points, but will watch on nervously when Leeds travels to Burnley for that big clash next week to see if it still has a place in the top two.
