Sheffield United 2 Aston Villa 0: Fleck double sinks Villa as Blades move up to fifth

JOHN FLECK could never have dreamed of days like this when he signed for Sheffield United.

When the Scot moved to Bramall Lane in July 2016, the Blades had just finished three places BELOW his old club Coventry in League One.

But fast-forward three years and Fleck’s double against Aston Villa yesterday moved his side up to FIFTH in the Premier League.

When they looked at the table last night, Fleck and his other team-mates who have been on the journey from the third tier must have been shaking their heads in wonderment.

They are just four points outside Chelsea in the final Champions League place, and above Manchester United and Tottenham, at least for another 24 hours.

And nobody can deny they deserve their lofty status, as does their managerial master Chris Wilder, whose name once again rung round Bramall Lane at full-time yesterday.

Their situation is in stark contrast to Aston Villa, who they were slugging it out with in the Championship last term.

Dean Smith’s side spent more than £100million in the summer, far more than the pennies spent by Wilder’s Blades.

Yet Villa were bossed by the Blades and are only out of the relegation on goal difference.

This was a third straight defeat for the Villans and it is a worrying run of form ahead of a festive period which could define their season.

After entertaining Liverpool’s kids in the Carabao Cup quarter-final on Tuesday, they host fellow strugglers Southampton and Norwich in the league either side of Christmas Day.

And you would think those results will go a long way to deciding their fate come May.

One thing for sure is that Smith will have to find a way to stop his side leaking goals.

He changed three of his back four for this one, with Tyrone Mings missing through injury for the first this season.

Yet they have now conceded ten goals in their last four games.

Smith clearly came to Bramall Lane with a game plan to sit back because the first half was a snorefest.

There was not a single shot on target and only two efforts altogether, both coming from the hosts albeit neither threatening.

Villa showed little – if any – attacking intent of their own, with struggling £22million record signing Wesley barely touching the ball in his attempt to end an eight-match goal drought.

The Brazilian’s confidence looks shot yet he was hardly being helped here, with only captain Jack Grealish offering any impetus on the ball.

Speaking of goal-shy strikers, United’s David McGoldrick cannot buy one either.

Coming into this clash, the Blades frontman had attempted more shots without a goal than any other Premier League player.

And after the break, we saw why, as Ollie Norwood struck a cross from the right which McGoldrick bundled well wide under pressure from Guilbert.

But that merely served as a warning for Villa as the Blades did break the deadlock after 50 minutes.

A fine backheel from Chris Basham – a centre-half remember – freed Lundstram to swing in a cross.

And Fleck found space in the box to sweep the bouncing ball past Tom Heaton for his third goal of the season.

Only when they had gone behind did Villa finally start to show some ambition.

Wesley crashed into the side netting after controlling Anwar El Ghazi’s ball, then Grealish headed wide at the back post from another cross by the Dutch winger.

But it was the Blades who scored a second after 70 minutes – and it was another magical move.

Fleck started it on the edge of the box, before George Baldock touched on to McGoldrick via a deflection.

McGoldrick then hooked the ball over his head and Fleck, who had continued his run, fired past Heaton.

Villa were given a lifeline with 12 minutes to go when VAR awarded them a penalty after referee Peter Bankes had missed Egan handling Matt Targett’s cross in the box.

But Grealish blew the chance to bring his side back into the game when he crashed his spot-kick against the bar.

And it was the Blades who should have scored a third, when McGoldrick was played clean through but struck the legs of Heaton.