A festival of wasted chances mean both West Ham United and Sheffield United will rue their days in a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium on Saturday.
[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ]
Irons veteran Robert Snodgrass saw his first half goal canceled out by substitute Lys Mousset.
West Ham moves ninth with 13 points, two places below the Blades on account of goal difference.
Three things we learned
1. Ink healthy Yarmolenko’s name on lineup card: We’ve written before of how good it’s been to see the former Dynamo Kiev and Borussia Dortmund playmaker thrive, but Andriy Yarmolenko looks as good as ever and needs to be an automatic starter for Manuel Pellegrini. His vision and touch to set up Snodgrass and Anderson was immaculate.
2. Mercurial Mousset the hero again: Le Havre Academy product Lys Mousset has had trouble delivering on his bags of talent during stints with both Bournemouth and Sheffield United, but came off the bench to continue a purple patch. Having scored the lone goal in beating Arsenal on Monday, he was back post to bound a shot across Roberto and into the goal for 1-1 with about 20 minutes to play.
It’s his third goal in eight PL matches for the Blades, the same number he scored in 58 PL apps for Bournemouth.
3. Wasteful from both in deserved draw: Between George Baldock‘s pair of miscues in the final third for Blades and Snodgrass’ missed back post finish late, this one could’ve seen either side score three or more goals on the day. The managers will have more shooting drills cued up this week.
Man of the Match: Yarmolenko, with a fair nod to industrious Declan Rice of West Ham and strong Sheffield United center back Chris Basham
[ MORE: Premier League stats ]
Sheffield United had a few chances and were the better money for a halftime lead, but the Blades were off the mark with finishing and the Irons also clogged shooting lanes fairly well.
The assist on West Ham’s opening marker was a thing of beauty, Yarmolenko well aware of Snodgrass and the space all around.
The Blades should’ve been level when George Baldock found himself in acres of back post space, but he took a touch and then his time before striking a hard shot that Irons keeper Roberto blocked and a teammate kept off the line.
Felipe Anderson came close to making it 2-0 in the 57th, but Dean Henderson did well to stop the Brazilian’s shot which was again set up by Yarmolenko.
Baldock missed another back post effort in the 62nd minute, covering his face with his hands at the bad Fortune.
Fortunately for him, Mousset arrived in the final 20 minutes to bound a back post effort past Roberto for a share of the points.
