David McGoldrick 8 Ollie McBurnie 8; Kurt Zouma 5: Sheffield United v Chelsea player ratings

Blades bolster Euro hopes as Blues' target of top-four finish take a knock

• 

  SHEFFIELD UNITED RATINGS: Dean Henderson 7: Not put under much pressure, to be fair, but whatever he did, he did well. One good save from James' speculative strike in first half, another header hit straight at him from Giroud after the break. Dominated the penalty area, unlike his Chelsea counterpart. Getty

• 

  George Baldock - 7: Right-back was booked after just two minutes for foul on Pulisic, but held his nerve navigating red-card tightrope for rest of match. His ball into box helped set up Blades' first goal. AFP

• 

  Jack O'Connell - 7: Vital touch that sent an Azpilicueta shot wide in second half. PA

• 

  John Egan - 8: Part of a fantastic defensive performance and left the dangerous Abraham hunting for scraps. AFP

• 

  Chris Basham - 8: Blades were so well drilled at the back with Basham playing his part. AFP

• 

  Enda Stevens - 7: Played lovely one-two with O'Connell down the left before inch-perfect cross found McBurnie for the second goal. Blazed chance to make it 4-0 over the bar. AP

• 

  Oliver Norwood - 7: Blades captain is such an important cog his team's organisation. Full of running. AP

• 

  Ben Osborn - 7: Stabbed a good chance over the bar early on after a poor Kepa punch. Another who never stopped for 90 minutes, playing his part in defence and attack. Reuters

• 

  Sander Berge - 6: Midfielder worked very hard defensively from midfield without the impact in attack that he is capable of. AFP

• 

  Oliver McBurnie - 8: Brilliant bullet header from the Scot to put the Blades 2-0 up. Worked himself into the ground up front before making way just after the hour mark. Getty

• 

  David McGoldrick - 8: Showed great reactions to score his first Premier League goal after Kepa saved from McBurnie. Similar instincts to grab his second after Rudiger's blunder. Striker produced some lovely footwork at times and put in a fantastic shift. Reuters

• 

  SUBS: Lys Mousset (On for McBurnie 63') 7: Played part in third goal and will be disappointed not have scored himself when he chipped wide after great work from McGoldrick helped put him clean through. Getty

• 

  John Lundstram - (On for Berge 63') 6: Slotted straight into the midfield with no problems. EPA

• 

  Phil Jagielka - (On for Basham 68') 6: Rare appearance for the veteran defender. AP

• 

  CHELSEA RATINGS: Kepa Arrizabalaga - 5: Continues to be weak link for Chelsea. Could only parry deflected shot into path of McGoldrick for opening goal. Very unconvincing on crosses and fails to command area. PA

• 

  Reece James - 6: Started well and his early cross provided Pulisic with early chance to take the lead but the right-back was taken apart by Stephens' movement for second goal. Forced decent save out of Henderson just before the break. Getty

• 

  Kurt Zouma - 5: Was beaten to the ball far too easily when McBurnie headed home the second. PA

• 

  Andreas Christensen - 5: Picked an early knock and never looked comfortable. Hooked at half-time. Reuters

• 

  Cesar Azpilicueta - 6: Captain couldn't lift his team on a bad day for Chelsea. Saw one second-half chance deflected wide. Reuters

• 

  Jorginho - 6: Italian back in team after spell on bench and his usual neat and tidy self but was caught in possession a few times as Chelsea capitulated. Getty

• 

  Mason Mount - 5: Buzzed around while contributing very little. Taken off at half time. PA

• 

  Ross Barkley - 5: Midfielder went missing when Chelsea needed him. PA

• 

  Willian - 5: Should have done more to assist James down the right for the Blades' second. Disappointing show. AFP

• 

  Christian Pulisic - 6: Headed first-half chance over the bar. Flashes of his undoubted talent but the American came up against an incredibly well organised Blades defence. Reuters

• 

  Tammy Abraham - 5: Just 13 touches in the entire first half for the striker. Had a couple of chances in second half but lacked the killer touch on both occasions. AFP

• 

  SUBS: Marcos Alonso - (On for Alonso 45') 6: Brought on to give Chelsea more width down the left as Lampard changed formation in second half with little effect. AFP

• 

  Antonio Rudiger - (On for Christensen 45') 5: Awful error when he got his feet in right old muddle to gift McGoldrick his second goal. AFP

• 

  Olivier Giroud - (On for Pulisic 66') 6: Difficult chance with first touch but could only volley. AP

• 

  Callum Hudson-Odoi - (On for James 75') 6: No chance to make any impact. Getty

• 

  Ruben Loftus-Cheek - (On for Barkley 78') NA: Came on a minute after third goal with game over. Reuters

David McGoldrick scored twice for Sheffield United as they upset Chelsea with a 3-0 win in the Premier League at Bramall Lane on Saturday.

Chelsea's grip on a top four place – and Champions League qualification – was weakened badly by the result and they could fall to fifth if Leicester City beat Bournemouth on Sunday and Manchester United overcome Southampton a day later.

A fourth straight home win in the league for Chris Wilder's side boosted their hopes of a first-ever appearance in the Europa League as they moved up to sixth on 54 points.

McGoldrick had not previously found the net in the Premier League since winning promotion with Chris Wilder's team but opened the scoring when Oli McBurnie's shot was pushed out by Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and the Ireland striker fired home.

McBurnie then doubled the lead in the 33rd minute with a powerful header from an Enda Stevens cross.

McGoldrick, 32, completed a fantastic result for the Blades by grabbing his second in the 77th minute.

"After the lockdown, the first couple of games we weren't on the front foot and our usual selves," said McGoldrick. "But since Arsenal in the FA Cup we have been on the front foot. 35 games in and the table doesn't lie. That was us at our best today."

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said he had "learned a lot" about his team after from the humbling defeat.

"They were better than us, physically, in the mind and with the ball. So you lose the game. They were stronger than us," he said.

"You feel and hear every noise and all I could hear was Sheffield United voices. We need to put that to bed quickly and fight for the top four."