Blades back on top as Lampard's Coventry crushed
Sheffield United moved back to the top of the EFL Championship after 3-1 demolition of Coventry City, putting the pressue on Leeds United and Burnley to get results from their matches to stay in touch.
Chris Wilder's side was rarely troubled at Bramall Lane and went ahead in the 19th minute thanks to an exquisite free-kick from Gustavo Hamer, who held his hands up apologetically after scoring against his former club.
Hamer had won the free-kick himself, and sent a curling, dipping shot to the top right corner, giving goalkeeper Oliver Dovin absolutely no chance.
Dovin was beaten for a second time when Tyrese Campbell found the back of the net with a first-time finish after a slick move on the half-hour mark.
Campbell almost stole in again when he chased down Dovin as he dwelled on the ball inside his own area, but the striker fouled the keeper in the process.
The foul appeared to twist Dovin knee and, after a lengthy delay, he was taken from the field on a stretcher, replaced by Bradley Collins.
There was still time in stoppage-time at the end of the first half for Campbell to call the substitute keeper into action, but Collins did superbly to tip Campbell's header over the bar at close range.
The second half saw more Blades dominance as Frank Lampard's City failed to build anything of note to trouble the home defence.
Just after the hour mark, the scoreboard changed again in Sheffield United's favour when Rhian Brewster slammed home a powerful shot from the edge of the box to make it 3-0.
Collins was again called into action to tip a Hamza Choudhury rocket from just outside the box away from his goal, and the Sky Blues did manage a consolation in stoppage-time when Jack Rudoni steered home Luis Binks's nod down from close range after a late corner.
But it was a mysteriously poor showing from Lampard's men, who are now looking over their shoulders as the battle for promotion play-off spots bubbles up again.
The Blades have 83 points and now sit top of the pile. They are three points clear of Leeds United ahead of its game against Swansea City, and Burnley is third on 78 points with a clash against Bristol City ahead for the Clarets.
For Coventry, it remains in fifth on 57 points but could be pushed out of the play-off places the Robins beat Burnley and if sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion secures a positive result in its match against Norwich City.
