Goalkeeper howler gifts Sheff Utd controversial victory after VAR denies West Ham

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder celebrated the signing of a new four-year contract by leading his team to a 1-0 victory over West Ham United that ended in controversy.

After a dreadful first half with no goals and no shots on target, the home side came out with more purpose in the second half, but it still required a huge error to hand Sheffield United the lead.

West Ham’s reserve goalkeeper David Martin, who replaced Lukasz Fabianksi after just 14 minutes, hit a stray pass from a goal kick to gift possession to the home side. John Fleck seized on loose ball and passed it across to Oli McBurnie for the opening goal. Martin partially redeemed himself with one excellent reflex save from Lys Mousset with 16 minutes to go.

In injury time West Ham looked to have pinched a draw, when Robert Snodgrass snuck in a low shot at the near post after brilliant work from Declan Rice.

However, after a VAR review the goal was ruled out for an innocuous handball by Rice that won possession for West Ham. That application of the divisive new handball rule left the visitors fuming and the home crowd joyous in celebration.

Can West Ham cope without Fabianski? The visitors will leave Bramall Lane frustrated by their disallowed goal in injury time but may have a bigger headache at the other end of the pitch. Fabianski returned from injury recently and has kept two clean sheets in a row for his new manager. After hobbling off in the first half tonight, his replacement gifted the winning goal to Sheffield United. Fabianski’s absence earlier in the season was a huge contributory factor in the decline in West Ham’s results that led to the sacking of Manuel Pellegrini. New boss David Moyes will be hoping that Fabianski’s muscle strain is only a temporary absence.

In a match desperately low on quality in the first half, Fleck inspired an increase in tempo in the second that earned Sheffield United all three points. He was decisive in regaining possession in his own half and incisive when reading the game and finding team-mates near the West Ham goal, culminating in his alert reaction to Martin’s goal kick that set up the winning goal. Fleck made his Scotland debut in October and looks like he could be more than useful when Scotland attempt to qualify for Euro 2020 via the play-offs in March.

Sheffield United (3-5-2): Henderson 7; O’Connell 6, Egan 5, Basham 6; Stevens 6, Norwood 6, Fleck 8, Lundstram 6, Baldock 7; McBurnie 7, McGoldrick 6

SUBS: Sharp 6, Mousset 7, Besic 5

West Ham United (3-4-3): Fabianski 6; Balbuena 7, Ogbonna 6, Cresswell 6; Zabaleta 6, Rice 5, Noble 5, Masuaku 6; Lanzini 6, Haller 6, Anderson 7

SUBS: Martin 5, Snodgrass 7, Fornals 6

11’ CLOSE! Norwood's corner is whipped into the front post, where Egan glances over from six yards. That was a chance.

14’ Fabianski is hobbling off with what seems to be a pulled thigh muscle, looking devastated. He has been replaced by David Martin.

30’ BIG CHANCE! A long clearance by Martin goes right down the middle of the Sheffield United defence. Egan doesn't get his back header right and Anderson rushes onto the loose ball, only to drag his shot a yard wide of the post with an open look at Henderson from fifteen yards.

54’ GOAL! Sheffield United 1 (McBurnie 54) West Ham United 0 What a disaster for Martin! He tries to play a short goal kick to Balbuena but it goes astray, and Fleck latches onto it to burst into the penalty area. He then squares it to McBurnie, who shoots through Martin to put Sheffield United ahead!

74’ GREAT SAVE! Partial redemption here for Martin, as a diagonal ball from Fleck finds Mousset in the area. He sets himself and shoots from twelve yards, but Martin throws out a leg to deny him. That could be a huge save.

88’ CHANCE! Another dangerous, whipped ball from Snodgrass from the free kick finds Haller at the back post. From six yards he heads it straight down into the ground and it bounces over the bar.