West Brom 1 Sheffield United 0 - Report

In a match of huge importance at the bottom of the table, Gallagher fired home from the edge of the box in the 12th minute to seal the points for Slaven Bilic’s side.

This was a clash, though, that easily could have ended three or four each.

Before Gallagher’s goal, Sheffield United could have been 2-0 up with John Fleck going close and George Baldock seeing an effort cleared off the line.

Then either side of the interval, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale made outstanding saves to deny Karlan Grant and Kyle Bartley.

In the closing stages it was very much a case of backs to the wall for Albion with the Baggies grateful to Sam Johnstone for making two outstanding saves to deny Oliver McBurnie.

Then right at the death substitute Lys Mousset incredibly turned the ball over the bar just three years out in what could go down as the miss of the season.

In the end, though, Albion held on with the win lifting them out the relegation zone and also ensuring it is now only Sheffield United who remain winless in the Premier League.

Report

Playing a new 3-5-2 formation, Albion had impressed against Tottenham and Man United in their previous outings with Bilic’s men hugely unfortunate to lose both games.

So it was no surprise to see them stick with the system against the Blades with the boss making just one change from the defeat at Old Trafford.

Coming up against his former employers, Callum Robinson came into the side at the expense of Grady Diangana and partnered Karlan Grant up front.

Otherwise, the Baggies remained unchanged with Matheus Pereira continuing alongside Romaine Sawyers and Gallagher in a midfield three while Darnell Furlong and Conor Townsend were deployed as wing-backs.

Sheffield United also lined up in a 3-5-2 formation with the system having brought Chris Wilder’s side a lot of joy in recent years.

The Blades included Oliver Burke in their starting line-up - with the Scotsman having left Albion to move to Brammall Lane in a swap deal with Robinson in the summer. He joined Oli McBurnie up front.

Wilder’s side entered the game having scored just four Premier League goals all season.

But they should have been 2-0 up after just five minutes with Albion starting the match asleep.

First John Fleck collected an over-hit cross before entering the box. But despite having plenty of time , the midfielder then drilled a shot wide when he should have done better.

Then just moments later, Burke sent in a low cross which was met by George Baldock.

Thankfully for Albion, though, Townsend was in the right place to block his shot on the line.

Albion woke from their slumber to open the scoring in the 12th minute.

Pereira’s corner was scuffed clear by Sander Berge with Gallagher collecting it on the edge of the area.

And from there the Chelsea youngster then cushioned a low shot into the bottom corner - with the ball taking the slightest of deflections along the way.

To Sheffield United’s credit they almost equalised immediately with Burke meeting a cross from Kean Bryan with a fantastic header only to see his effort acrobatically tipped over by Sam Johnstone.

From that point on, the half proved a fascinating encounter between two very evenly matched teams.

Albion, looking so much more threatening from set-plays, almost doubled their advantage when Furlong flicked a corner to the back-post.

Their waiting was Grant who - just yards out - fired at goal only to see his effort brilliantly blocked by the chest of Ramsdale.

Sheffield United - who were shading the midfield battle - then created two chances of their own.

First, Max Lowe entered the box before seeing a low drive well blocked by Furlong.

Berge then rolled away from Bartley before entering the box and lashing a strike over.

Bilic’s men threatened again just before the interval with Pereira firing agonisingly wide from 20-yards.

But, overall, there had been little to separate the two sides as they made their way off at the break with the Baggies having mustered 10 shots on goal and Wilder’s men eight.

Albion started the second-half much brighter than the first.

And they came a whisker away from doubling their advantage in the 52nd minute when Bartley met a corner with a towering header.

His effort looked destined to make the net ripple but boyhood Baggies fan Ramsdale made a brilliant diving stop to keep the ball out.

With Albion playing with momentum, Wilder made a change with Rhian Brewster replacing Oliver Norwood in a change that saw the Blades switch to a 3-4-3 formation.

It was the Baggies who continued to threaten, though, with Pereira seeing a free-kick from just outside the box deflect narrowly over.

Just past the hour mark, though, the Baggies had a huge let-off when Burke raced past Ivanovic before hitting the byline and squaring for Baldock.

It was a glorious chance to score but just eight-yards out the defender blazed over when he had to do better.

With the visitors enjoying a spell on top, Bilic made a double change with Townsend - who was struggling with injury - replaced by Matt Phillips and Filip Krovinovic introduced for Grant.

With 10 minutes to go, though, it was all Sheffield United.

And they created two more great opportunities to pull level only to be denied by Johnstone.

First a free-kick routine straight from the training ground allowed Berge to hit the byline and send in a low cross.

It was met by McBurnie just yards out but Johnstone did brilliantly to stick out a leg and somehow block the strike.

Then just moments later, Brewster teed up McBurnie just eight-yards out. Again the striker should have scored but a diving Johnstone parried the ball away.

Albion responded with Hal Robson-Kanu seeing a strike from the edge of the box parried away by Ramsdale.

Pereira then stood up a cross to the back post which Furlong header over.

From that point on, though, it was backs to the wall from Albion.

And deep into seven minutes of added on time, Sheffield United missed what can only be described as a sitter.

Baldock turned Bartley inside out and sent in a cross that was simply begging to be turned home.

But just three yards out Mousset somehow turned the ball over the crossbar in what could go down as the miss of the season.

Teams

Albion (3-5-2): Johnstone, Ajayi, Ivanovic, Bartley, Furlong, Sawyers, Gallagher, Pereira, Townsend (phillips 75), Robinson (Robson-Kanu 65), Grant (Krovinovic 75).

Subs not used: Button, O'Shea, Phillips, Harper, Krovinovic Diangana, Robson-Kanu

Sheffield United (3-5-2): Ramsdale, Basham, Egan, Bryan (Lundstram 63), Baldock, Norwood (Brewster 54), Fleck, Berge, Lowe, Burke (Mousset 74), McBurnie.

Subs not used: Verrips, Jagielka, McGoldrick, Osborn.