Sheffield United vs Bolton Wanderers

Bramall Lane saw a proper scrap on Tuesday night, with Sheffield United edging out Bolton Wanderers 3-2 in a game that had plenty of quality in front of goal despite Bolton actually shading things in terms of chances created. The visitors levelled things up before the break after United had taken an early lead, and it stayed 1-1 at half-time following end-to-end stuff that suggested neither side fancied sitting back. Bolton finished with more shots overall and more on target too, but it was United who found the net when it mattered, and that's ultimately what separated the two teams on the night. Patrick Bamford was the difference-maker, picking up the man of the match award with an 8.14 rating for a display that showed real composure at the top end of the pitch. His contribution proved decisive as United held their nerve to see out a 3-2 win that keeps them ticking along nicely early in the Championship season. Bolton will feel there wasn't much between the sides and they'll be frustrated not to have taken anything from a match where they had the better of the underlying numbers.

Sheffield United beat Bolton Wanderers 3-2 at Bramall Lane, and the numbers from the match back up how the game played out. Sheffield United also had the better share of the ball, holding 53% possession, which usually goes hand in hand with the extra control a winning side tends to show. The shot count told a similar story, with 13 attempts from Sheffield United against 18 from Bolton Wanderers over the course of the game. Bolton Wanderers had their moments and did not make it easy from start to finish, but ultimately came up short on the day. Small margins like this one tend to add up over a season, and results such as this are often what separates teams in the table further down the line. Here is a closer look at exactly how the two sides compared, statistically.