Everton 1 Sheffield United 0: Blades register an unwanted Premier League record on their own - but do show heart at Goodison

The South Yorkshire outfit headed to Merseyside in a subdued mood. The previous weekend, they had become just the second Premier League side to ship a century of goals in a single season - the other being Swindon Town in 1993-94 - and there were fears of more damage at the hands of an Everton side chasing a fifth successive home league win in the top-flight goal without conceding a goal for the first time since 2019.

Yes, United lost for the sixth time in a row and now have that unwanted goals against record on their own and Everton had their own milestone.

But there are ways of losing and this was acceptable. Chris Wilder’s side had a dig and with a touch more poise and better decision-making, they could - and perhaps should - have taken something home from what could well have been their last ever visit to one of English football’s grand old venues in Goodison Park.

They huffed and puffed, but it wasn’t to be. Abdoulaye Doucoure’s 31st-minute goal won it for the Toffees, who were off colour but still registered a victory.

For their final away match of the campaign, United made two changes, with one of them being self-enforced with Anel Ahmedhodzic suspended, while Ben Osborn was also missing.

Yasser Larouchi and Vini Souza came into the starting line-up, with the former employed at left wing-back and the latter slotting into a right-sided central defensive role.

A sell-out United contingent in the Bullens End stand - including a certain Billy Sharp - were determined to enjoy themselves in the Merseyside sunshine in perhaps their final visit to this grand old stadium and came out with a full and amusing repertoire of songs in the first half, namechecking some Championship opponents next season and their abhorrence of VAR, one thing that they will be happy to see the back of.

Their side trailed at the interval, but those in yellow had their moments, more especially as the half went on.

The home goal came just past the half-hour mark. It was well executed by the Blues, but sloppy from a visitors’ perspective.

Everton won the ball too easily from Pickford’s goalkick and the ball broke in midfield for Dwight McNeil, who played a nicely-weighted pass to slip in Calvert-Lewin down the left channel.

Wes Foderingham rushed out of goal and the former Blades striker kept his composure to glide around him dink the ball nicely to the onrushing Doucoure, who nodded into the empty net at the Park End.

Earlier, Foderingham had done rather better, racing out of goal to make an instinctive point-blank save to deny a certain opener for the same player.

It came after a superb ping from James Tarkowski, whose range of passing was a feature of the opening half, picked him out Calvert-Lewin, who got away and played in Doucoure, with his pass nut-megging Auston Trusty.

Everton, who made two changes with favourite Seamus Coleman and Amadou Onana, starting, hinted at taking over, but United hung in there, in fairness and posted one or two worries as the half progressed.

Cameron Archer fired a curler wide just before Doucoure’s opener and was denied by an excellent save before the interval from Jordsan Pickford, who raced out to block after Everton had been caught on the break after polished work by Ollie Arblaster, Ben Brereton-Diaz and Gus Hamer, while before the interval, Pickford was called into action to block a shot from Andre Brooks after he had cut inside.

The half also saw Jack Robinson and Calvert-Lewin booked for an altercation with the Blades defender shoving over the striker with a push to the chest. It was the cue to a brief melee, with Calvert-Lewin booked for aggressive behaviour.

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Attacking the Gwladys Street End, Everton initially threatened although there was growing home angst at the role of referee Stuart Attwell following some questionable decisions.

United stuck in and started to ask some questions themselves.

Brereton-Diaz fired a shot over with Everton’s failure to grab a killer second goal entitled to enthuse those in yellow.

There was pressure from United, with Everton being falt and subdued, but not the quality and break that was required.

The voices that could be heard were Unitedite ones. They craved something.

Everton’s raids were infrequent. One opportunity saw James Garner drive forward, but his low shot flew wide, while at the other end, Archer fired wide, his last involvement being replaced by Rhian Brewster.

It was a half which had earlier seen Sam Curtis come on for his United debut.

Home substitute Youssef Chermiti fired over as the clock ticked down. Fotheringham had very little to do on the resumption in fairness, although he did thwart Chermiti in stoppage time before Garner blazed over ahead of the final whistle.

Everton: Pickford; Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Young; Gueye, Onana, Garner; McNeil (Gomes 69 (Warrington 93), Doucoure (Dobbin 69), Calvert-Lewin (Chermiti 79). Unused substitutes: Virginia, Keane, Danjuma, Beto, Godfrey.

Sheffield United: Foderingham; Bogle, Souza, Trusty, Robinson, Larouchi (Lowe 55); Hamer, Arblaster (Curtis 63), Brooks (Slimane 55); Archer (Brewster 80), Brereton-Diaz. Unused substitutes: Grbic, Norwood, McAtee, Osula, Sasnauskas.

Referee: S Attwell (Warwicks).

Attendance: 39,221.