Sheff Utd 4-0 Fulham

Fulham’s season ended in disappointment at Bramall Lane, with Sheffield United claiming a 4-0 victory.

The Whites actually had more chances throughout the match, but the hosts were clinical and took the points thanks to goals from Morgan Gibbs-White, Iliman Ndiaye, Sander Berge and Enda Stevens.

Marco Silva made several changes for our final outing of what had been a magnificent season. Paulo Gazzaniga was given the nod in goal, with Michael Hector lining up in front of him. Nathaniel Chalobah and Jean Michaël Seri anchored the midfield, while Neeskens Kebano was brought in at left-wing.

Following a classy touch by the Blades in giving Fulham a guard of honour, we were under way at a raucous Bramall Lane, with the home fans knowing victory would guarantee their Play-Off spot.

And within 10 minutes the decibels were even higher when United went in front. Ollie Norwood swung in the type of teasing delivery that we saw plenty of in 2017/18, and Gibbs-White was able to glance a header in via the near post.

Fulham responded with a rasping long ranger from Kenny Tete but, unlike on Monday, this one couldn’t find its range.

The Whites right-back was then involved at the other end, getting a vital block on Ndiaye’s low drive, with Jack Robinson heading the subsequent corner over.

The Blades did soon double their lead, though, with Berge capitalising on a slip from Seri to feed Gibbs-White who was able to put it on a plate for Ndiaye.

It had been an absolute dream start to the game for the Play-Off hopefuls, and they as good as guaranteed their top-six spot when Berge squeezed a shot through the legs of Gazzaniga in the 25^th minute.

Josh Onomah had to come on after Chalobah took a kick to the ankle, and he drew a first save of the game from Wes Foderingham as we looked to reduce the deficit before the break.

Fabio Carvalho thought he’d got one back in stoppage time when he got on the end of Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s square pass, but Foderingham made a terrific stop with his legs.

United needed just a few minutes of the second half to make it 4-0, with Stevens putting the finishing touch to Berge’s slipped pass across goal.

It could have been worse on 69 minutes when John Egan got a powerful connection on Norwood’s free-kick, but Gazzaniga made an excellent reflex save.

Onomah – who had impressed since coming on – almost found the net in fortuitous circumstances when an attempted clearance spun off him, but there wasn’t enough pace on it to trouble Foderingham.

The former Fulham Academy goalkeeper had a much tougher ask denying his former club a consolation in the closing stages, though, making fine saves in quick succession at his near post to keep out Kebano’s snapshot and a goal-bound header from substitute Rodrigo Muniz.

It wasn’t to be for the Whites on this occasion, but one result will not take the shine off what has been a historic season.