EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS | Sheffield United 1-2 City | Rodri strike sends blues to the top of the table!

A trophy in the cabinet and two league wins without conceding. A victory today at Sheffield United would confirm what we already suspected, that the historic treble-winning Blues have no intention of lowering their lofty standards. August concludes at Bramall Lane with the opportunity to hit the top of the table with what would then be the only team with a 100% record in the division. It would be some statement to make with a campaign only just up and running. Kovacic, now they've crossed the halfway line. Kovacic, good run, very good run. Keeps on going, Kovacic, he must have been fouled, he was. There were one or two arms on him trying to stop his progress, he must have made 40, 50 metres there, and he's won a free kick about 25 metres from goal, Andy, that was brilliant. Yes, great, he has this ability to slow play down and then burst. He faces his own goal and he has the ability to drop his shoulder and go very quickly and break lines, it's hard to defend against. I think it's Alvarez who's eying this one up. He's left it, and Bernardo Silva clips it in and City have a free-header, and Ake pops it in the net. I think there must be an offence, the whistle blows, it doesn't stand, and there's an offside flag up. He is offside, not by much, but he is. Yeah, he is offside. Oh, it might reach, it's Alvarez! And Alvarez, oh, it's a good save by Foggeringham. Well, it came through to Haaland, he had a defender at his back, but he had the strength to hold him off, I think he was trying to turn to hit it himself, and it just broke suddenly for Alvarez in the penalty area, and Alvarez hit it into the ground, and then it was a good save, actually, by Foggeringham. That's the biggest chance of the match, credit the goalkeeper. Yes, a great save. Bernardo Silva coming towards the edge of the penalty area, scoops it inside, Alvarez on towards Haaland, it's clear, not very far, Rodri, about 25 metres from goal, Kovacic on towards Grealish, Grealish on the edge of the penalty area, on towards Alvarez, Alvarez... Oh, that's a handball, that's a penalty. All day long, City penalty. Handball, sliding, couldn't get his arm out of the way, handball against the cross, no doubt about it, we knew it, we don't need a replay, neither does the referee. Penalty to the Blues. Yeah, he'll be arguing that it's accidental, but the fact is it stops the ball going to Haaland for a shot on goal. Brilliant little clip there. You can't deny it, totally accidental, but you're preventing an opportunity for Haaland to have a shot on goal penalty. So you can't argue with that one. Haaland places the ball down into the spot, he pulls his socks up, adjusts his shorts, takes a couple of deep breaths, hovering him on the goal line, he's doing what he can, making himself look as big as possible. Obviously all the Sheffield United fans at the popular side behind that goal are doing what they can to put off Haaland, gesturing, waving their arms, up steps Haaland, and City... Oh, he's hit the post! Haaland's hit the base of the post. City have missed the penalty. Well, he missed a penalty against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final, he's now missed one today, and the Sheffield United supporters are cheering as if they've taken the lead. The reality is that City haven't. Haaland sent Condringham the wrong way, but hit the post. We're in the 58th minute as Rodri drives City forward, and on it goes to Kovacic, City getting towards the final third, wide to Greenish, Greenish up against Balder, can he get Kas Balder? Comes infield, on it goes to Rodri, Rodri... Oh, it's wide by a ball's width! He moved it from his right foot to his left and dragged it wide of the far post, you could see what he was thinking, you could see that it was a good idea, but you could also see it was missing the goal. Diaz comes forward, he might as well, he's had no defending to do. Rodri now, plays it across, Kovacic, into the gap, Haaland! Can he score? Great save, Fodringham. Sheffield United looking for an offside, it wasn't given, and that's another terrific save by Fodringham, he's made two or three today, that's possibly the best. Great movement again, Kovacic, great way to pass, brilliant from the goalkeeper, because they're normally beat with them, they commit themselves totally. And on it goes to Rodri, getting towards the final third, Kovacic now, Kovacic wide to Greenish, Greenish up against Baldock, Baldock on that yellow card, can't dive in, Greenish trying to tempt him in. He's in the penalty area, Greenish, little dink over the top, Haaland, 1-0, had to come! If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again, and Erling Haaland buries the header in the back of the goal. It was magnificent from Jack Greenish, classic wing play, and Haaland buries it. Massive sigh of relief, because it's been relentless for the last ten minutes, and it's just Jack on the outside, just dragging it across his body, you can't hang a leg out if you're in front of a penalty, and then the clip ball is beautiful, and when the quality is that good on the cross, it's very, very difficult for a striker to miss. Brilliant from Jack Greenish, but it's thoroughly deserved from City, because they've been relentless. In comes the throw from Robinson, Edison gets to it, it's not a great clearance, and then the shot's blocked, and as he does, he's facing his own goal, plays it back to Edison, and Edison hits it first time, it's not a great clearance, and the first-time effort for Edison backpedalling, it was Armidogic who hit the shot. There was an optimistic claim of a handball when Gustavo Heymer hit a shot in, but that's really the only way you can see them scoring today. Trust me, they're so dangerous, so dangerous. The keeper comes, and he doesn't clear the edge of the box, and knocks it down there. Brilliant from Diaz. City have had 25 attempts, seven, actually 26 now, 26 attempts, eight on target, that's how dominant they've been, but the scoreline says 1-0 only, and here comes Traore to the edge of the City penalty area, and Walker then gets in front of him, and plays a backheel, but Traore's onto it, oh, if that pass would have been better, City would stretch, it's not over yet, on the edge of the area, shooting opportunity, and Sheffield United have equalised! Jadon Bogle, well, a mistake by Kyle Walker, and Jadon Bogle has equalised, and the Sheffield United supporters are going absolutely wild. It was a mistake, really, by Kyle Walker, he could have cleared it, but he played a backheel, and the ball was played out to Bogle, and Bogle just drove it in, it just went beyond Edison, into the corner of the net, the most improbable of scorers, it's Sheffield United 1-1 City. So it's Sheffield United 1-1 City, City with all the domination, but didn't get the goals, and it's now 1-1, and Walker comes forward, and on it goes into the penalty area, and what a chance! Oh, it's skied by Alvarez! Well, Foden had just come on as a substitute, while that celebration was taking place, and he laid it into the path of Alvarez, and Alvarez scooped it over the bar, it was a golden moment for City, squandered. The ball is in the possession of Alvarez, Alvarez darting forward, can't find Haaland, the ball will break for Grealish in the left-wing position, he's up against the goal scorer Bogle, can he get beyond Bogle? He can't, lays it off to Foden, Foden now goes out wide to Bernardo Silva, Bernardo Silva tries to scoop in across, Haaland is, oh, he was stretching, and he got a little bit of it, but not enough, and Walker keeps it on on the far, chance to deliver again, Walker looking up onto Foden, and then hit by Rodri, and City retake the lead! Rodri, left foot drive into the roof of the net! Sheffield United had barely enjoyed the celebrations for more than a minute, and Rodri rifles it in! City 2, Sheffield United 1! Well, it was kept alive on the far, Bernardo Silva scoops it in, Haaland tried to get on the end, got a piece of it, yes, Lamoussi thought it was going out, Walker has atoned, I guess, for his error, he kept it in play, he looked up onto Foden, Foden miscontrolled it, and then Rodri thumped it into the roof of the net, on his weaker, in inverted commas, left foot, and it was beyond Fodringham, and City lead 2-1, having only just conceded the equaliser. They're gonna hit the ball long, they have to, City will have to win an aerial duel here, and they will with Diaz, Diaz heads it on, the whistle sounds, and City go to the top of the Premier League table, with a winning goal from Rodri. While they were absolutely dominant in this fixture, there was never any other outcome than a City win, you felt, and the Blues are the only team in the Premier League who are played 3-1-3, and they're top of the Premier League table. Sheffield United 1, City 2!