Report | Swansea City 1 Sheffield United 2
Ten-man Swansea City suffered defeat to high-flying Sheffield United after a second-half red card and penalty at the Swansea.com Stadium.
The Swans had deservedly led at the interval courtesy of Florian Bianchini’s close-range finish.
But the visitors levelled through Rhian Brewster early in the second period, before Harry Darling was harshly dismissed for a challenge on the same player just minutes later.
And Harrison Burrows went on to strike the winner from the penalty spot for the Blades.
Swansea were vastly improved form their derby-day showing, but they were ultimately undone by those crucial few minutes at the start of the second half despite a battling effort.
The Swans had shown two changes from south Wales derby defeat as Myles Peart-Harris and Bianchini came in for Jisung Eom and Joe Allen respectively.
The visitors, meanwhile, made one change from their win over Norwich as Andre Brooks replaced Sam McCallum.
The early stages proved to be open. Gustavo Hamer rifled a shot into the side-netting from an acute angle with red and white shirts waiting, but it was the Swans who took the lead.
Matt Grimes swung in a free-kick and, while Michael Cooper made a brilliant save to keep out Ben Cabango’s header, his parry only took the ball as far as Bianchini, who nodded in his third goal of the season.
Former Swan Brewster saw his shot deflect into Lawrence Vigouroux’s gloves a few minutes later as the Blades sought a quick reply, while Cooper did well to hold Josh Tymon’s low drive as it dipped awkwardly towards him.
The Swans then produced a lovely passage of play that nearly carved United open, with Bianchini running in behind and turning to spot Liam Cullen’s supporting run, only for his final pass to be cut out before it reached the Wales international.
Blades captain Jack Robinson headed a corner over from 10 yards while two lovely pieces of skill from Gonçalo Franco lit up one excellent Swansea attack that was eventually cut out by covering defenders.
Bianchini then sprung Peart-Harris in behind the defence. The winger was manhandled throughout his run into the area by Rhys Norrington-Davies, eventually forcing the Swansea man off balance as he attempted to shoot, but referee Dean Whitestone was unmoved by home appeals.
That sparked a period of sustained Swansea pressure, with even the usually unflappable Cooper needing to be helped out as he failed to gather a cross after marauding out of his goal.
Darling glanced a header wide of the target from the resulting corner, while Cullen was inches wide with a right-footed strike from the edge of the box as the home side retained their lead at the break.
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder made a trio of changes at the break as he introduced Femi Seriki, Sam McCallum and Tyrese Campbell.
But it was Brewster who got the leveller seconds into the second half, volleying home after a cross from the right had been cleared into his path.
And Swansea were soon down to 10 men when Darling was shown a red card for a clumsy challenge on Brewster.
It left the Swans facing an uphill challenge, and they breathed a sigh of relief when McCallum wastefully fired over from a cutback a few minutes later.
The game was becoming increasingly fractious, and Sydie Peck’s lunging challenge on Bianchini had the home crowd baying for another red card, but the referee decided a yellow card would suffice.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Swansea continued to be willing to chance their arm going forward, with Peart-Harris and substitute Kyle Naughton nearly working a way through the visiting defence as they linked with Franco.
But when Josh Key brought down Campbell in the area, Burrows made no mistake from the spot as he sent Vigouroux the wrong way.
The Swansea keeper made a terrific save to deny Campbell after the forward had turned in the area from McCallum's pass, with Key blocking a follow-up effort from Ben Brereton Diaz.
Swansea committed bodies forward in the closing stages as they sought an equaliser but it was not to be.
Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux, Josh Key, Ben Cabango, Harry Darling, Josh Tymon; Matt Grimes (captain), Gonçalo Franco, Liam Cullen (Kyle Naughton 59); Ronald, Myles Peart-Harris (Sam Parker 88), Florian Bianchini.
Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Jay Fulton, Joe Allen, Žan Vipotnik, Jisung Eom, Josh Ginnelly, Cyrus Christie.
Sheffield United: Michael Cooper, Alfie Gilchrist (Femi Seriki 46), Rhian Brewster (Ben Brereton Diaz 71), Gustavo Hamer, Callum O'Hare (Billy Blacker 90), Harrison Burrows, Anel Ahmedhodzic, Jack Robinson (captain), Rhys Norrington-Davies (Sam McCallum 46), Andre Brooks (Tyrese Campbell 46), Sydie Peck.
Unused Substitutes: Adam Davies, Jamal Baptiste, Louie Marsh, Ryan One.
Referee: Dean Whitestone
Attendance: 13,373