Blackburn stun Sheffield Utd with devastating first-half blitz

The hosts threw everything at it after the interval. Burrows pulled one back in the 57th minute when Cannon found him, and suddenly there was oxygen in the game. For a spell, you sensed Sheffield Utd might claw their way back into it. They had 13 shots across the ninety minutes, more than double Blackburn's total, and their expected goals figure of 1.54 suggests the football gods weren't entirely unkind to them. But Blackburn's defensive shape held firm. Morishita took a yellow for his troubles late on, and by the end, Blackburn's bench was receiving cautions as well. It didn't matter. The job was done long before then.

Morishita took a yellow for his troubles late on, and by the end, Blackburn's bench was receiving cautions as well. It didn't matter. The job was done long before then. The real story here is Sheffield Utd's collapse. This was a side in decent form, arriving with back-to-back wins. They had four wins in their last five. And yet they shipped three goals before the interval at home to a Blackburn side that's been dreadful for weeks. That's not luck. That's not referee's incompetence. That's a team caught completely off-guard, with a defensive organisation that crumbled under pressure. Tanganga picked up a yellow early on and perhaps that rattled the backline.

The real story here is Sheffield Utd's collapse. This was a side in decent form, arriving with back-to-back wins. They had four wins in their last five. And yet they shipped three goals before the interval at home to a Blackburn side that's been dreadful for weeks. That's not luck. That's not referee's incompetence. That's a team caught completely off-guard, with a defensive organisation that crumbled under pressure. Tanganga picked up a yellow early on and perhaps that rattled the backline. Hamer was booked in the second half too. Sheffield Utd made four substitutions at half-time, a desperate attempt to salvage something, but you can't undo a 3-0 deficit with fresh legs alone.

For Blackburn, this is a statement. They're eight points behind Sheffield Utd but suddenly they've shown they can hurt anyone on their day. Ohashi and Morishita were outstanding, moving the ball quickly and finding space where Sheffield Utd's midfield simply couldn't match them. The 3-5-2 formation worked a treat, compact enough to frustrate but stretched enough to create opportunities. It won't save their season unless they can repeat this sort of performance, but it proves they're more than the shambles they've looked recently. For Sheffield Utd, though, this is a proper reality check. You don't finish in the top six if you concede three at home by half-time to the second-bottom team. Not in the Championship. Not when the margins are this tight.