Sheffield United and Fulham earn first points of the season

Forgettable day for Aleksandar Mitrovic as he misses penalty and concedes one

Fulham's Ivan Cavaleiro, right, duels for the ball with Sheffield United's Enda Stevens during the English Premier League soccer match between Sheffield United and Fulham at Bramall Lane stadium in Sheffield, England, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. (Carl Recine/Pool via AP)
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Sheffield United and Fulham both collected their first point of the season in the Premier League after a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

Billy Sharp converted his spot kick for United, smashing the ball down the middle in the 85th minute to cancel out Ademola Lookman’s spectacular solo effort eight minutes earlier on his first start for Fulham.

Before that, Aleksandar Mitrovic squandered the chance to give Fulham the lead when he lifted his penalty over the crossbar in the 58th.

The two teams had lost each of their first four league games this season, raising the stakes for their meeting at Bramall Lane — especially for the hosts, who have matches against Liverpool and Manchester City ahead in the next two weeks.

Oli McBurnie wasted a clear opportunity in the first half for United, heading straight at goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, but Fulham had the better of the second half. Mitrovic, in particular, will wonder how he failed to score in the game, with his penalty miss and then two late opportunities that he sent off target.

The Serbia striker capped a miserable game on a personal front by giving away the penalty that was converted by Sharp, with Mitrovic kicking the calf of Jack Robinson while attempting to clear the ball at a corner.

Lookman, who has joined on loan from Leipzig in Germany and came on as a substitute in the loss to Wolverhampton before the international break, dribbled past two defenders outside the area before unleashing a fierce shot high into the net to put Fulham ahead.

Meanwhile, substitute Alexis Mac Allister scored his first Premier League goal to secure Brighton and Hove Albion a deserved point in a 1-1 draw away at Crystal Palace.

Brighton dominated the game but could find no reply to Wilfried Zaha's 19th-minute penalty for the hosts.

Zaha fired past Brighton keeper Mat Ryan for his fourth goal of the season after Tariq Lamptey was judged to have fouled Michy Batshuayi in the area as a cross was played in.

Brighton out-passed Palace and had 20 goal attempts to Palace's one overall, but they had to wait until the 90th minute for their reward as Argentine Mac Allister powered in a deflected shot.

Brighton ended the match with 10 men though, after Lewis Dunk was sent off in stoppage time for a bad tackle on Gary Cahill.