Aaron Ramsdale 8; Kyle Walker 7, Raheem Sterling 9: Sheffield United v Manchester City player ratings

First-half goal by Walker against boyhood club earns City deserved victory at Bramall Lane

SHEFFIELD UNITED RATINGS: Aaron Ramsdale – 8: Saved three early chances – two from Torres and one from Rodrigo – all hit straight at him but did what he needed to do. Got hand to Walker's shot but couldn’t stop it going into the bottom corner. Showed good concentration to save De Bruyne free-kick that went under the defensive wall. AFP

Chris Basham – 6: Along with Baldock, skinned by Sterling in run-up to opener. Found City’s pace and quality tough to deal with. Tried pushing forward more after the break. Good challenge to halt Foden's run on goal in injury-time. Getty

John Egan – 6: Vital touch to stop De Bruyne's through ball that put Sterling clean through after 15 minutes. Nutmegged by Sterling as the England attacker set-up chance for Torres. Reuters

Enda Stevens – 6: Important block to stop Torres' shot during one of City’s numerous counter-attacks in the opening half. A tough afternoon against a good City team performance. AP

George Baldock – 5: Struggled to deal with an electric Sterling and was turned inside out in build-up to Walker goal. Mahrez did the same on the other flank soon after. But, to be fair, also made some vital blocks and produced some surging runs and crosses of his own down the right. AFP

Sander Berge – 6: Relieved to see Ramsdale save when he jumped over Sterling's free-kick. Good cross to almost set-up Brewster with a first-half header but his distribution was a mix of wonderful and wasteful. Superb run down right to provide Lundstram a golden chance with 20 minutes to go. Reuters

Ethan Ampadu – 5: Struggled to cope with City’s marauding counter-attacks in the first half and slack in possession at times. Replaced with 25 minutes to go. PA

Ben Osborn – 5: Little impact as City dominated the midfield as was hooked before the hour mark. Reuters

Max Lowe – 6: Second time he has started in the league for the Blades, wasted some good crossing opportunities from left and found Mahrez the usual handful. Should have been booked for poor challenge of De Bruyne. PA

Rhian Brewster – 5: The new-signing from Liverpool received little supply from his teammates and little change out of the City defence. A lot to ask of a 20-year-old new to Premier League football to lead the line in a struggling team. AP

Ollie McBurnie – 6: Toiled away but, like Brewster, found the going tough and the Blades were guilty of not getting crosses over to their strikers quick enough. Frustrated by slow final ball of teammates. Getty

SUBS: John Lundstram - (On for Osborn 55’) 5: Midfielder, who could be leaving the club in January, fired a great chance over the bar. Getty

Oliver Norwood – (On for Ampadu 65’) 5: Little impact. AFP

David McGoldrick – (On for Lowe 81’) N/A. PA

MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson – 7: A spectator for much of the game with very little to do but was on his toes to stop a Brewster shot in the second half that would have been given offside anyway had it gone in. Ludicrously good long pass off ground that had opposite number Ramsdale scampering off line to deny a City goal late on. AP

Kyle Walker – 7: Brilliant low drive from outside the area that flew into the bottom corner for the opening goal against boyhood team. Surging run down right just after the break helped set-up chance for De Bruyne. Looks in good form at the moment. AFP

Ruben Dias – 8: Impressive display against a physical player in McBurnie. During the first-half, the Portuguese defender showed he can cope with a wet afternoon in Sheffield. Looks like the organiser at the back manager Guardiola needed. AFP

Aymeric Laporte – 7: Rushed a good chance from a De Bruyne corner after 13 minutes and fired wide but looked solid defensively, which is more important, and partnership with Dias is very promising for City. Reuters

Joao Cancelo – 8: Good ball over from left to supply early chance for Torres. Provided steady stream of chances for teammates. Furious with himself after being left for dead by Berge in the second half. AP

Rodrigo – 8: Blasted a wicked swerving shot from outside the area that Ramsdale could only parry away. Excellent performance in centre of the park, sweeping up loose balls and sending City away on attacks. AP

Bernardo Silva – 7: Played his part but is not having the same influence for City these days. One great bit of skill to set himself up with a chance in the last 10 minutes but could only shoot straight at Ramsdale. Reuters

Kevin De Bruyne – 8: Some beautiful trademark probing passes behind Blades defenders throughout. Cheeky free-kick under the wall saved by Ramsdale. Fired wide with a good chance on edge of the box 10 minutes after half-time. AP

Riyad Mahrez – 7: Outshone by Sterling on the opposite flank but still produced some moments of quality down the right wing. Free-kick saved down low by Ramsdale just before hour mark. Guilty of trying to walk the ball into net and holding on to the ball when others were better placed on occasions. Getty

Ferran Torres – 7: Enjoying his new central role, with Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus injured, and saw two early chances saved by Ramsdale – one header and one shot from point-blank range. Lots of unselfish running and was constant handful. Deserved a goal in the first half, quiet in second. Reuters

Raheem Sterling – 9: Was virtually unplayable down the left in the first half and so hard to defend against in full-flow like this – as Baldock in particular can testify. Quieter after the break but always a threat. PA

SUBS: Phil Foden – (On for Torres 81’) N/A. AFP

Ilkay Gundogan – (On for Mahrez 85’) N/A. EPA

Manchester City moved two points off the top of the Premier League as Kyle Walker's long-range strike was enough to see off winless Sheffield United 1-0 at Bramall Lane.

Pep Guardiola's men had won just two of their opening five league games of the season and are yet to hit top gear ahead of Liverpool's visit to the Etihad next weekend.

The visitors dominated the game, but had just Walker's speculative shot to show for it as they again lacked a ruthless streak without a natural striker.

Ferran Torres played as the centre-forward in the absence of the injured Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus and the Spanish winger had a number of chances to grab his first Premier League goal.

Aaron Ramsdale was busy in the Blades' goal as he twice-denied Torres from close range, while he unconvincingly parried Rodrigo's long-range effort behind.

Walker finally broke the deadlock from similar range on 28 minutes as his shot arrowed low past Ramsdale's right-hand, but there was a muted celebration from the England international against his boyhood club.

The one-way traffic continued early in the second-half as Torres failed to lift the ball over the stranded Ramsdale as he rushed off his line.

Kevin De Bruyne flashed a shot across goal and wide following another attacking burst from Walker before Ramsdale produced his best save of the game from Riyad Mahrez's free-kick.

However, City's failure to kill off the game gave Chris Wilder's men chances to snatch an unlikely point.

John Lundstram had the best chance for the hosts when he side-footed Sander Berge's low cross over. But Sheffield United have still scored just three goals in seven games to start the season and remain second bottom on just one point.

City, by contrast, have won four of their last five in all competitions as they slowly click into gear after a disrupted start to the season due to injuries, coronavirus cases and just a two-week long pre-season.

Manager Pep Guardiola said: "We played really well. We struggled to score goals from the chances we created. 16 shots, eight on target, so it's a lot against this team.

"They play incredibly well down the sides, the patience they have, but they had one clear chance and no more than that.

"It's our third game in seven days, all away, it's so demanding. People have responded to that well."