IF this was supposed to be his swansong then somebody forgot to tell the ever-sprightly Billy Sharp.
At 34 and with his place in Blades folklore secure, nobody would have begrudged him winding down his career with the odd cameo.
Billy Sharp secured a 1-0 win for Sheffield UnitedCredit: Reuters
But despite having found himself on the bench for the most part, nobody is doing more to define what could become the greatest season in the club’s history.
His first-half bullet-header keeps Sheffield United bang on course for Europe – and hammered another nail in Norwich’s coffin.
Despite scoring 23 goals last year to get his hometown side promoted, Sharp has bided his time as Chris Wilder’s side have stormed the Prem.
Now back in the starting line-up since the end of January, the veteran has three league goals from six starts this campaign.
His extra-time strike at Reading on Tuesday has United one game from an FA Cup semi-final – and this win keeps the Champions League dream truly alive and kicking.
With 230 career league strikes across all four divisions, nobody in the country has scored more than the Blades skipper this century.
And he was revelling in his latest, wasting little opportunity to mercilessly goad the travelling Norwich fans after converting John Lundstram’s excellent cross.
Wilder’s side were far from their dazzling best and in the end needed keeper Dean Henderson to bail them out with a stunning double save late on.
Three days after beating Tottenham on penalties to reach the FA Cup quarter-final, the Canaries looked jaded early on.
The Blades had an extra day’s rest having needed extra-time to see off the Royals and started the sharper.
Oli McBurnie had the first real chance after four minutes but Tim Krul –fresh from his spot-kick heroics at Spurs – tipped over his header from Sharp’s cross.
But Daniel Farke’s men quickly dusted off their cobwebs as they scrap for the most unlikely of survivals, with Teemu Pukki squandering a great chance.
Having nodded a corner back into the mix, the ball was cleared straight back to the Finn, who could only lash his half-volley from five-yards off the post.
Norwich were then saved by Kenny McLean at the other end, the Scot’s last-ditch clearance stopping a certain Jack O’Connell goal.
Chris Wilder’s side are two points off the top four after today’s win against NorwichCredit: Reuters
Norwich are six points from safety with just nine games remainingCredit: PA:Press Association
But their resistance was ended after 36 minutes, with Sharp’s emphatic header going straight through Krul.
The goal was all about Lundstram’s cross though, an absolute peach whipped in from the right that strikers dream of.
Lundstram has been unlucky to have found himself on the bench in recent weeks after the club-record £22million January signing of Sander Berge.
Given a chance to stake his claim for the run-in, the all-action midfielder was a man on a mission.
And he had two decent chances himself to extend the lead before the break – firing a chest-and-volley narrowly wide before hitting straight at Krul after some great link-up play.
Norwich pushed for an equaliser at the beginning of the second-half, with sub Josip Drmic heading narrowly wide.
And not for the first time, the Blades were indebted to Henderson.
From a corner, the on-loan keeper from Manchester United got down well to his left to deny Ben Godfrey.
Mario Vrancic was sliding in and nearly scrambled it over the line before Henderson somehow kept the on-rushing Drmic’s strike from no more than a yard out.
The goal was still gaping though and with his second attempt the Swiss striker inexplicably hit it against the bar and out for a goal-kick.
Norwich were not done yet though, with Henderson parrying Jamal Lewis’ rasper away from danger.
The Blades held out though, with Wilder lapping up the adulation from the Bramall Lane Kop at the end of a win that keeps them well in the hunt for the top-four.
Norwich City’s Todd Cantwell scores acrobatic goal in training ground shooting drill
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
