Tyrese Campbell bagged a brace as Sheffield United brushed aside Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 at Hillsborough, sealing a third straight Steel City derby win and piling more misery on their administration struck rivals.
The Blades struck first after just 11 minutes,Jairo Riedewald pressed high, pinched possession, and Callum O’Hare slipped Campbell through to finish smartly past Ethan Horvath. Wednesday looked lively early doors, but once behind they never really laid a glove on United’s backline.
It got worse after the break. Sydie Peck intercepted a loose pass on halfway from debutant Liam Cooper, and Campbell burst down the left before slotting low into the far corner, making it three derby goals in three games for the forward. United kept pushing, and sub Tom Cannon capped the night with a 20 yard strike that took a nick on its way into the bottom corner, sending home fans streaming for the exits.
The Owls, stuck on 4 points after a 12 point deduction for entering administration, didn’t manage a single shot on target and looked miles off it. Their last win in this fixture was 13 years ago, and relegation to League One already feels all but stamped barring a miracle and that’s before any further sanctions land.
United, meanwhile, remain in the Championship drop zone but now sit just one point off safety after only their fourth win of the campaign. Danny Ings nearly added to the tally earlier, having one goal ruled out for offside and another effort smothered after yet another defensive mix up from Wednesday.
Off the pitch, the turmoil looms larger than anything happening on it. Wednesday fans have returned in numbers since Chansiri’s exit, hoping fresh ownership can steady the ship. Administrators claim a dozen potential buyers have proof of funds, but with 18 points to make up and a squad depleted by injuries and uncertainty, survival looks more like a long term rebuild than a short term escape.
Next up, Wednesday travel to Millwall midweek, while United host Portsmouth and for once, momentum is firmly with the red half of the city.