When Sheffield United and Aston Villa marked the Premier League’s return from lockdown, on this day in 2020 after an 100-day hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the BBC’s match report described the result as “a low-key goalless draw.” But in reality it was anything but, as one of the most staggering technological failures in the top flight’s history cost United what could have been a huge result in their unlikely push for Europe.
The Blades should have gone 1-0 ahead when Villa goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland caught Ollie Norwood’s deep free-kick and fell over his own goalline with the ball still in his hands. Multiple replays showed the ball had clearly gone over the line but referee Michael Oliver’s goalline technology failed to alert him that a goal should have been given, and VAR inexplicably declined to get involved.
The game went on to finish goalless and United could not rediscover the momentum that had been taken from them by lockdown, eventually finishing ninth - still a remarkable achievement in their first season back in the Premier League after 12 years away, but also one of the biggest ‘what-if?’ moments in recent years. But what happened to the 20 players in the United squad that day? Let’s have a look...
The game went on to finish goalless and United could not rediscover the momentum that had been taken from them by lockdown, eventually finishing ninth - still a remarkable achievement in their first season back in the Premier League after 12 years away, but also one of the biggest ‘what-if?’ moments in recent years. But what happened to the 20 players in the United squad that day? Let’s have a look...