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Sheffield United striker Ollie McBurnie snatched a stoppage-team equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea in his side’s battle for Premier League survival on Sunday.
The Blades remain bottom of the table on 16 points with seven games left, while Chelsea are ninth on 44 after extending their unbeaten run to seven league games.
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For a long time it looked like the hosts were headed for another defeat until McBurnie’s late strike.
United’s frailties were exposed in the 11th minute when Chelsea defender Thiago Silva was left unmarked at a corner to steer home, but Jayden Bogle levelled in the 32nd minute.
Gustavo Hamer sliced open the Blues defence with a superb pass to Bogle who beat goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic at his near post to prompt wild celebrations in the home crowd.
United came out strongly in the second half, creating several chances to take the lead, with McBurnie heading just wide in the 49th and Hamer curling an effort into the side netting with the outside of his boot five minutes later.
However, United’s defence was caught flat-footed again in the 66th minute when Cole Palmer found Noni Madueke, who cut in from the right before firing high into the net past Ivo Grbic to put Chelsea back in front.
Again, the Blades poured forward and their perseverance paid off when McBurnie reacted quickest to a ball into the box three minutes into stoppage time, lashing it home from close range.
The home side had a great chance to grab all three points late on, but failed to make the most of their numerical advantage on a late counter-attack and the game finished in a draw.
“There’s still plenty of games to play and it about building on the performances. We are not looking too far ahead,” goal-scorer McBurnie said in a post-match TV interview.
“Last few games, we have been there or thereabouts. The boys put in excellent effort against Liverpool, and now it is nice to get something for the fans.”
After grabbing the winner in the 11th minute of stoppage time against Manchester United in midweek, Chelsea were brought back to earth by then concession of a late equaliser.
“There is some positives for sure, but this is our Achilles heel, the next game after a top result – we haven’t been able to do well in that department so far,” a dejected Madueke said in a TV interview.