Sheffield United delivered a much-needed response to their Boxing Day defeat, clinching a 2-1 win over Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium on December 29, 2025. The Championship clash, which marked the final fixture of the calendar year and the end of Mark Robins' first 12 months at the helm for Stoke, was packed with drama, controversy, and a touch of poetic justice as Tom Cannon haunted his former club with a decisive strike.
Heading into the match, Stoke City were looking to build on a goalless draw against Preston North End just three days prior. However, their preparations were hampered by a string of absences: right-back Junior Tchamadeu was away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Eric Bocat, Aaron Cresswell, and Lewis Baker were sidelined with injuries. The Potters' squad depth was stretched thin, and manager Mark Robins was forced to shuffle his lineup once again.
Sheffield United, meanwhile, were eager to bounce back after being thumped by Wrexham on Boxing Day. Manager Chris Wilder demanded a reaction from his players, and the Blades certainly delivered in the opening stages. The visitors showed early intent, with Callum O'Hare spurning a golden opportunity when he blazed Femi Seriki's low cross over the bar from the penalty spot. Ben Gibson also missed with a headed chance, while Sorba Thomas's header was comfortably saved by United goalkeeper Michael Cooper.
The breakthrough came just after the interval. On 47 minutes, Jairo Riedewald—fresh from signing a new contract—found himself in the right place at the right time, poking home from close range after a scramble in the Stoke box. It was Riedewald's first goal for the Blades, and it sent the traveling supporters into raptures. As Wilder later reflected to BBC Radio Sheffield, "It was very rewarding, we got our rewards. I thought in the first 20 minutes we were outstanding, the first half we were excellent."
Sheffield United doubled their advantage just six minutes later. Harrison Burrows swung in a teasing cross from the left, and Tom Cannon—who spent last season on loan at Stoke before being sold to the Blades for £10 million in January—coolly slotted home from six yards out. The Irish striker's celebration was muted, but the significance of the goal was not lost on either set of fans. It was Cannon's fourth goal for United, and as the match wore on, it became clear it would be the winner.
Stoke, however, refused to go quietly. Their attacking play became more direct, and on 65 minutes, Ben Wilmot capitalized on some chaotic defending from the visitors. After United failed to clear their lines following a long throw, Wilmot hammered the ball in off the underside of the bar to halve the deficit and spark hopes of a late comeback.
The atmosphere inside the bet365 Stadium shifted. Stoke's supporters, who had been quick to voice their frustrations with referee John Brooks and the team's defensive lapses, rallied behind their side. Substitutions followed in quick succession as Robins searched for a way to rescue a point. Robert Bozenik twice went close, and Bosun Lawal forced a smart save from Cooper. The Blades, who had conceded five at Wrexham just days earlier, looked vulnerable once again, and the closing stages were fraught with tension.
With just two minutes remaining, the match's most controversial moment arrived. Patrick Bamford broke clear on the halfway line, only to be hauled down by Ben Pearson. Brooks reached for his red card, adjudging it a clear denial of a goal-scoring opportunity. The decision was met with fury by the home crowd, and Robins himself described it as "controversial." Despite being reduced to ten men, Stoke continued to press, but the Blades held firm through five nervy minutes of stoppage time.
At the final whistle, a chorus of boos and applause echoed around the stadium. Stoke fans expressed their disappointment at the result and some of Robins' substitutions, which drew criticism from sections of the crowd. In his post-match interview with BBC Radio Stoke, Robins addressed the reaction: "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. 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."
For Sheffield United, the victory marked their fifth consecutive win over Stoke City and provided the perfect tonic after their Boxing Day embarrassment. Wilder was quick to praise his side's resilience: "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."
Stoke's defeat, their seventh in ten games, leaves them further adrift in the promotion race. The Potters now face a quick turnaround, with a trip to Hull City looming. Questions persist about their defensive frailties and the depth of their squad, especially with key players still missing through injury and international duty.
As for the Blades, the win keeps their playoff ambitions alive and restores some much-needed confidence heading into the new year. With Riedewald and Cannon both getting on the scoresheet, and a gritty defensive effort in the closing stages, Wilder's men will feel they've turned a corner after a turbulent December.
The final game of the year at the bet365 Stadium may not have delivered the result Stoke fans craved, but it certainly provided drama, controversy, and plenty of talking points as both teams look ahead to a crucial stretch in the Championship campaign.
