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Attendance: 18,339
Preston North End logo
Championship | Gameweek 40
Apr 6, 2019 at 3pm UK
 
Sheffield United logo

0-1

FT(HT: 0-1)

David McGoldrick helps Sheffield United up to second

David McGoldrick scored the only goal of the game.

David McGoldrick's 13th league goal of the season took Sheffield United back into the automatic promotion spots with a 1-0 win at play-off chasing Preston.

With the stakes high for both sides in Lancashire, McGoldrick's first-half tap-in secured all three points for Chris Wilder's side, as they leapfrogged rivals Leeds into second place.

Alex Neil's Lilywhites remain 10th in the table, five points outside of the play-off places, with six Championship games to play.

Both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances in a high-tempo start to the game, with a succession of free-kicks disrupting the flow of a match in which both sides knew the importance.

Preston's Callum Robinson had the clearest chance of the opening half-hour, taking Alan Browne's pass in his stride, but his close-range snap-shot was well saved by Dean Henderson on 17 minutes.

However, it was the visitors that broke the deadlock on 33 minutes. John Egan's towering header from Oliver Norwood's deep corner was acrobatically tipped onto the bar by Declan Rudd, and McGoldrick prodded in the rebound from a yard out.

Robinson had an excellent chance for a quick reply on 42 minutes, after great work from Sean Maguire on the left wing, but his placed finish was blocked by the retreating Enda Stevens.

Republic of Ireland international Robinson had a third chance to equalise for the hosts, just seconds after the restart, but he delayed his strike and Henderson was able to smother.

Veteran striker Billy Sharp almost extended the Blades' lead on 53 minutes after McGoldrick put him clean through with a reverse pass, but Rudd was quick off his line to make the save.

The away side defended resolutely in the second half, with Egan the standout performer as Wilder's side looked to shackle Preston's counter-attacking threat.

Egan continued to be a real handful in the opposition penalty area, thumping a header just wide on 58 minutes before forcing Rudd into save from another set-piece three minutes later.

Preston did have chances to get themselves back into the game, with Maguire skewing a header wide of the post from substitute Louis Moult's driven cross on 66 minutes.

Neil's side almost stole a point deep into added time but Moult could not keep his header down from Browne's in-swinging corner.

The final whistle went to take United back into the top two, seven points adrift of leaders Norwich.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds29179353193460
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd29186540211958
3Burnley29151223692757
4Sunderland291510442241855
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom291014538251344
6Middlesbrough29128947361144
7Blackburn RoversBlackburn29126113228442
8Bristol City29101183734341
9Watford29125124041-141
10Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds29118104245-341
11Norwich CityNorwich29109104842639
12Coventry CityCoventry29108113938138
13Queens Park RangersQPR2991193237-538
14Millwall29910102826237
15Preston North EndPreston2981383236-437
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2999113343-1036
17Swansea CitySwansea2997133240-834
18Cardiff CityCardiff29710123344-1131
19Hull City2978143038-829
20Stoke CityStoke29611122636-1029
21Portsmouth2978143652-1629
22Derby CountyDerby2976163240-827
23Luton TownLuton2975172948-1926
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth29410152762-3522


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