Sheffield United delivered a gritty 2-1 win over Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium on December 29, 2025, with Irish striker Thomas Cannon returning to haunt his former club and secure a vital three points for the Blades. The result marked Sheffield United’s fifth consecutive victory over Stoke City, a streak that’s quickly becoming a source of frustration for the Potters and their faithful.
Coming into this clash, both teams had plenty to prove. Sheffield United, still licking their wounds from a wild 5-3 Boxing Day defeat at Wrexham, needed a response to keep daylight between themselves and the relegation zone. Stoke, meanwhile, were desperate to reverse a worrying slide—having lost seven of their last ten matches and watching their early-season promotion ambitions slip away.
The match kicked off under the Monday night lights, though UK fans were left in the dark—literally. Despite the Championship’s expanded TV deal, the fixture was not selected for live broadcast on Sky Sports, a quirk explained by the EFL as the game being a “displaced Saturday match,” even though it was always scheduled for Monday. Both clubs, however, provided international streaming options for their supporters.
Stoke City started brightly, eager to shake off their recent poor form. Callum O’Hare had the first big chance, meeting Femi Seriki’s cross unmarked at the penalty spot, but his effort soared over the bar, leaving home fans groaning in disbelief. Ben Gibson soon followed with a headed opportunity that also missed the target, while Tatsuki Seko found Sorba Thomas at the back post, only for Thomas to head straight at Blades goalkeeper Michael Cooper when he had time to do better.
After a cagey first half, the contest truly sparked into life just after the break. Jairo Riedewald, fresh from signing a new contract with the Blades, made an instant impact. On 47 minutes, he slipped past Sam Gallagher and poked home his first Sheffield United goal, sending the away end into raptures. The Blades, stung by their defensive collapse at Wrexham just days earlier, looked determined to keep their advantage this time around.
Sheffield United doubled their lead six minutes later, and it was a script straight out of football’s playbook. Thomas Cannon, who starred on loan for Stoke last season before being recalled by Leicester and sold to the Blades for £10 million, returned to his old stomping ground and finished Harrison Burrows’ low cross from six yards. It was Cannon’s third goal of the season and his fourth overall for Sheffield United—a moment he’ll surely savor, even if his celebrations were muted out of respect for his former teammates.
But if anyone thought Stoke were finished, they were mistaken. The Potters rallied, showing the kind of fight that’s been missing in recent weeks. On 65 minutes, a long throw into the United box caused chaos, and Ben Wilmot pounced, firing home off the underside of the bar to reduce the deficit to 2-1. The goal injected new life into the home side and set up a tense final quarter.
Stoke pressed forward, with Robert Bozenik twice going close and Bosun Lawal drawing a smart save from Cooper. The Blades, perhaps haunted by memories of their Wrexham collapse, looked vulnerable as the minutes ticked away. The tension was palpable—could United hold on, or would Stoke snatch a dramatic equalizer?
As the clock wound down, controversy erupted. Patrick Bamford, United’s in-form striker with five goals to his name this season, broke clear on goal, only to be hauled down by Stoke’s Ben Pearson. Referee had no hesitation, showing Pearson a straight red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. The home crowd’s frustration boiled over, and with Stoke down to ten men, United were able to see out the remaining minutes.
The final whistle brought relief for the Blades and more disappointment for Stoke. For Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, this was the perfect response to the Wrexham debacle. Speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield, Wilder said, "It was very rewarding, we got our rewards. I don't think people should really zone in on maybe the last 15-20 minutes because that was the end bit. The first 65-70 minutes were outstanding. And then when we had to show bit of courage and personality, which I questioned, we showed it. They've got to stop putting me through the ringer, me and 3,000 Sheffield United fans! There's a lot of work to be done, but it's nights like these, moments like this, you know you're always chasing winning feeling and we got it. I thought in the first 20 minutes we were outstanding, the first half we were excellent."
Stoke City boss Mark Robins, meanwhile, was left to reflect on another missed opportunity and voiced his displeasure at the home fans’ reaction to his substitutions. "You can make changes, and by the way, the changes that I made, I don't like the booing because we've got a limited squad and those players need the support as well as anybody else. I don't like that. They're all trying, regardless of what people think. For whatever reason, I'll make those changes. When that happens, I don't expect my substitutions to be booed. You know, you don't expect that because it's done at the right time for the right reasons. We're all on the same page and we're all supportive and we hate losing games of football, all of us, collectively, all of us. You win them together, and you lose them together, and you draw them together, and in the second half, I know that performance was much, much better and what the supporters expect," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.
The result leaves Sheffield United four points clear of the relegation zone, a small but crucial cushion as they look to stabilize after a turbulent return to the Championship. Their six-game unbeaten run in November has proven vital, and with this latest win, the Blades can start to look up the table rather than nervously over their shoulders.
For Stoke City, the defeat is another blow in a season that started with promise but now threatens to unravel. Sitting tenth in the Championship, the Potters are still within touching distance of the playoff positions, but their recent form—just one win in their last six—has fans and players alike searching for answers. The frustration was only compounded by the fact that, despite the match’s significance, many supporters were unable to watch it live due to the peculiarities of the TV schedule.
Looking ahead, Stoke will hope for better fortunes in their next televised fixture against Hull City on January 2, 2026, while Sheffield United will aim to build on this momentum and steer clear of the relegation dogfight. As the season enters its second half, both clubs have plenty to play for—and plenty to prove.
