Sheffield United 4-0 Stoke City: In-form hosts rout out of form Potters

After recovering from their dismal start to the season the Blades are starting to show the kind of form and performances that saw them finish third in the Championship last season.

They took the lead at Bramall Lane when McGuinness thundered home a powerful header unchallenged from Gus Hamer’s corner kick.

If Stoke boss Mark Robins was unhappy with his side’s marking for the first goal he would have been even angrier at how they dealt with the second.

Another corner was headed away at the near post as far as Seriki on the edge of the area and he was able to take a touch before curling a fine goal beyond Viktor Johansson for his first for the club.

Seriki turned provider for the home side’s third as he latched on to Peck’s precise ball over the top down the right and sent in a cross that Bamford headed in for his second in four appearances.

Despite their poor recent run and this shellacking in South Yorkshire, Stoke still have the meanest defence in the Championship with 18 goals conceded in 19 matches.

However, this was a day to forget and their misery was compounded when Peck scored for the third match in succession, having never scored a senior goal before last month.