Sheffield United beat Cardiff to keep automatic promotion hopes alive

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Sheffield United snapped a three-game losing run by beating Cardiff 2-0 to keep the pressure on Leeds and Burnley in the race for automatic promotion from the Championship.

The win was much-needed for Chris Wilder's side and they managed to get over the line at Bramall Lane thanks to goals from Gustavo Hamer and Ben Brereton Diaz despite not being at their best.

Hamer opened the scoring by poking the ball through Cardiff goalkeeper Ethan Horvath's legs with the only shot on target of the first half after Tyrese Campbell's deflected effort fell directly into his path at the back post.

The Blades then had to wait until the 87th minute to seal the victory, which momentarily closes the gap on second to two points ahead of Leeds' trip to Oxford United, as substitute Ben Brereton Diaz fired in after Kieffer Moore's deflected shot fell to him on the break.

Cardiff were unfortunate that the ball fell kindly for Sheffield United for both goals, having largely kept the hosts quiet, but were unable to trouble them going the other away, in a wholly unconvincing attacking performance.

Omer Riza's side remain in the relegation zone in 23rd, with three games to go, but survival is not out of the question, with a point the difference between Cardiff and safety.

Any other result for Sheffield United would have likely dashed their automatic promotion hopes, especially with a trip to league leaders Burnley coming up on Monday. That game, live on Sky, will be huge, with the Blades needing to win all of their last three games.

The managers

Sheffield United's Chris Wilder:

"The players have been through the mill, they've felt what's happened over the last week and it's obviously been a poor week for us in terms of performances [and] results.

"But we're still in there, we're fighting and we keep swinging. It was a little bit edgy, a little bit cagey and whatever. But once we got the first goal, we were okay.

I suppose the [players] don't play as free as what they may usually do when they're in a decent run. Everything's precise and you take an extra touch and everything tightens up on the pitch. We'll get over it.

"We go into Monday night [at Burnley], with it all to play for. We wanted to go deep into this season and we need to do that with a performance on Monday. Energy, personality and belief.

"Belief is a massive thing for us and hopefully today will give us a little bit of a confidence booster after the three defeats.

"Up until a week ago, we were the outstanding away team in the division. So we need to put in a big performance and hopefully that comes with a big result. We're not a negative side.

"We've got 27 wins on the board and we need a few more between now and the end of the season."

Cardiff's Omer Riza:

"I thought we competed very well and caused problems at times. We contained Sheffield quite well at times but weren't able to [take] those moments that were key for us when we won the ball back, to hurt the opposition.

"We were a little bit loose at times and just weren't quite able to hurt them enough in that sense.

"Once that first goal goes in, you lost a little bit of momentum. Second half, I thought we had Sheffield pinned back in their own half for quite a long period of time.

"They had to go to 4-5-1 at the end just to try to stop [us]. Then, obviously, the little error on the second goal finished the game off. But I'm very happy with my players in respect to the way they tried to manage the game."

Asked about talk of Neil Warnock taking over, he added:

"I'm not prepared to comment on those things at the moment. It's nothing to do with me at this stage. What's important for me is that the team are ready. They're ready to compete and fight for every point that we're playing for.

"If that is the case, then I have to just continue as I am and wait for that time to come. As it stands, there's not been any talk or conversation about that.

"The players are focused on what we need to do, so are the staff. That's what it will be right till the end."

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