Aston Villa 3 Sheffield United 3: Blades blow lead after Sharp´s hat-trick heroics

Sheffield United missed out on the chance to go top of the Championship as a remarkable late collapse allowed Aston Villa to snatch a 3-3 draw.

Billy Sharp looked likely to be the hero as he brought up 100 goals for United before completing his hat-trick by nodding in Kieran Dowell’s deflected 62nd-minute cross.

The score remained 3-0 until eight minutes from time when visiting goalkeeper Dean Henderson erred under Conor Hourihane’s corner and Tyrone Mings headed in his first Villa goal.

Henderson was at fault once again four minutes later when he parried into the path of Tammy Abraham and was beaten at his far post.

An error-strewn spell from Chris Wilder’s side was concluded in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Jack O’Connell lost his footing when attempting to clear and John McGinn showed contrasting composure, picking out Andre Green at the far post to head home.

pic.twitter.com/2GwLJh9PID

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) February 8, 2019

It means United are two points behind top two Norwich City and Leeds United despite Sharp pulling clear of Abraham at the summit of the Championship scoring charts.

The 33-year-old converted from close range in the 11th minute after Gary Madine headed Oliver Norwood’s left-wing corner back across goal.

There was controversy surrounding Sharp’s second when, amid suspicions of offside, he bundled home despite Lovre Kalinic appearing to get two hands to the ball.

But it was the Villa goalkeeper’s opposite number Henderson who was left crestfallen along with his team-mates at the last.