Live Blog: AFC Bournemouth v Sheffield United (2024)

FULL TIME

Well we take a point in the end after a dramatic injury time period.

At any level, coming from 2-0 down to come back to 2-2 is a real positive and takes a lot of character.

Thank you for following and we'll see you back on Wednesday for the Luton Town game at home.

Up the Cherries!

INCHES WIDE!

Sinisterra again causes havoc on the left, working the shooting opportunity and seeing his effort go just wide.

THERE'S THE EQUALISER!!

Ünal gets it! Mepham keeps it alive and Ouattara heads it on. There is Ünal at the back-post to slam it home...

LOVE IT, LADS!

Eight minutes added!

COME ON!

Sinisterra wins a corner after another mazy run into the box.

Good run from Sinisterra...

He's in acres of space on this left-hand side and dribbles into the box. He looks to cut inside, but instead squares for Scott, whose effort is blocked by a United body.

Huge chance for Ouattara...

Scott's ball in is so good... Ouattara rises highest but heads his effort over. We're really pushing here...

Two Blades changes...

Brereton Diaz and Arblaster are coming off as Osula and Norwood come on.

Brereton Diaz gets a yellow card for time wasting on his way off.

A good corner from Billing...

His ball in causes trouble in the box and a Sheffield United body almost diverts it into his own goal, but Grbic is alert and claims.

A double substitution...

Billing and Scott are introduced for Christie and Smith.

THERE'S THE GOAL!!

Ouattara heads home Christie's corner and we have one back...

LET'S KEEP IT UP!

A double change for Sheffield United...

McBurnie and Bogle are withdrawn as Ahmedhodzic and McAtee come on in their place.

Meanwhile, Grbic is booked for time wasting over a goal-kick.

Sinisterra looks to curl one...

The Colombia international looks to cut inside and curl one but it takes a deflection of a Sheffield United body and goes for a corner.

From that set piece, it's hoofed clear through Arblaster.

Goal disallowed...

VAR checks for offside and then handball, with the latter given and the goal ruled out. It looks like the ball hit Solanke's left hand as he controlled it... not that he would've known anything about it.

ONE BACK!

Let's goooo, Dom!

Ouattara's shot falls into the path of Solanke, who fires home from close range.

Goal for Sheffield United...

Robinson fires home after the ball is loose from a corner.

Good save from Neto...

Arblaster hits a low effort from this right-hand side and Neto gets down well to save.

A double change...

Let's go, lads!

Sheffield United break...

It's Baldock with the shot on the edge of the area, but it doesn't trouble Neto.

The Cherries again have plenty of possession, but unable to find that cutting edge.

First opening of the second period...

Mepham plays a ball over the top to Tavernier. He squares for Christie, but the shot is over the bar.

Back underway...

We've made a change at the break as Ouattara is on for Kerkez.

As for Sheffield United, Vinicius is on for Davis.

Behind at the break...

Plenty of possession...

We're seeing lots of the ball, but struggling to break through the Sheffield United defence.

Mepham just tried one over the top, looking for sem*nyo, but there was just too much on it and it went for a goal-kick.

Kluivert then goes close...

Kluivert gets round the defender as a ball is played over the top. He's in a one-on-one race with Grbic and gets there, but his shot is actually saved by the 'keeper with his chest.

BIG save from Grbic...

Christie's ball in is headed goalwards by sem*nyo, but it's well saved by Grbic on the stretch. Possibly our best chance from open play.

Hamer now booked...

He catches Smith and gets none of the ball, with Anthony Taylor forced to issue another yellow.

Christie into the side netting...

He beats his man and goes round the outside, but his shot on the left-hand side thumped into the side netting.

Goal for Sheffield United...

Hamer slams home the rebound after Neto saved Bogle's shot well.

sem*nyo has a go...

The ball goes into the box and comes off a United defender, falling to sem*nyo. Trusty slips and the angle opens up, but Grbic makes a great save!

Great build up play...

The Cherries knock it around nicely on the left-hand side. Christie ends up playing in sem*nyo, whose shot is deflected for a corner.

Cook's ball in is then cleared by Sheffield United.

A good corner routine...

Cook's corner is played into sem*nyo on the edge of the area, who looks to hit it on the half-volley, but it goes just over the bar.

Smith now booked...

He takes down Brereton Diaz on this left-hand side and Sheffield United have a free-kick.

Solanke slips...

The forward misses from the spot as he slips and it goes straight over.

We have a penalty!!!!

Solanke is brought down as Tavernier takes a free-kick short and the referee points straight to the spot.

Kerkez in the book...

He looks to win the ball off Davis, but the referee believes the challenge was mis-timed and issues the yellow card.

Davis is down receiving treatment, but will be okay to continue.

Another chance...

Smith puts a lovely ball into the box and Solanke is on the end of it, but the Blades do enough to make it difficult for him.

It falls to Kluivert in the box, who looked to tee up Tavernier, but United intercept and hook it clear.

Christie with the first shot...

The ball falls to the midfielder about 25 yards out and he pulls the trigger, but it doesn't trouble Grbic and Sheffield United can clear.

Up and running!

UP THE CHERRIES!

The teams are out...

Here they come. We're moments from kick-off here at Vitality Stadium.

Getting warm and ready!

15 to go...

SO good to see this guy back!

Goals in the team...

Andoni Iraola's side have scored 35 Premier League goals this season, only two short of their total for the whole of last season.

Dominic Solanke tops the charts and leads the line today.

How Sheffield United look...

How we line up!

Ryan Christie makes his 300th career league appearance in AFC Bournemouth’s clash against top-flight counterparts Sheffield United at Vitality Stadium today (3pm kick-off).

Christie keeps his place after a bout of sickness forced him off during the half-time interval of the Cherries’ 2-0 victory against Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Scotland international is closing in on 100 league appearances for the Cherries having also played for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Aberdeen and Celtic.

Chris Mepham returns to the Cherries starting line-up as head coach Andoni Iraola makes one change following the win over the Clarets.

Mepham replaces fellow defender Marcos Senesi who succumbed to a hamstring injury during the early stages against Burnley.

What Andoni Iraola said...

Andoni Iraola faced the media ahead of the game with Sheffield United and gave the following preview:

“Sheffield United will come here with the intention of winning the game and trying to increase their chances to fight until the end.

“I think we have to focus more on ourselves. Against a team that has the same points as Sheffield United, we were not good enough.

“We won 2-0 but we need to improve the performance we had against Burnley if we want to win tomorrow; that’s our main focus.”

As for the Blades...

Sheffield United defender Mason Holgate is serving the final game of a three-match suspension, so won’t be available for Chris Wilder today.

Ben Brereton Diaz could feature, however, after returning from a hamstring injury as an unused substitute last week.

Latest team news...

Defender Marcos Senesi has been ruled out until after the international break with a hamstring injury. Equally, top scorer Dominic Solanke hasn’t trained fully and will be assessed before the game.

Elsewhere, Lloyd Kelly and Max Aarons remain sidelined for this one.

In more positive news, Tyler Adams played 30 minutes for the development squad mid-week but Andoni Iraola revealed yesterday that, while he could feature on the bench, he won’t be rushed back.

Hello and welcome...

Hello and welcome to Vitality Stadium for today’s Premier League game between AFC Bournemouth and Sheffield United.

Stay tuned as we bring you all the build-up and take you through every kick from 3pm.