No Sheffield United blame game over mistakes v Man City as focus turns to promotion bid

United’s hopes of reaching a first FA Cup final since 1936 were ended by a 3-0 defeat to City at the national stadium, on an afternoon tinged with regret after mistakes led to Riyad Mahrez’s first two goals on his way to a semi-final hat-trick.

First Daniel Jebbison’s rash challenge on Bernardo Silva gave Mahrez the chance to open the scoring from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time before a poor decision from Max Lowe enabled the Algerian to run through the middle of United’s defence and put his side 2-0 up, effectively ending the game as a contest.

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Mahrez added a third from Jack Grealish’s centre not long after and for United, attentions now turn to Wednesday night’s home clash against West Bromwich Albion - which could see Premier League football sealed.

“I need to watch it back but we’re an honest group,” defender George Baldock admitted in the aftermath of the game.

“I’m sure we’ll analyse it just to get better. There’ll be no finger-pointing whatsoever, because we know we’re up against tough opposition. But that’s the level we want to get to.

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“We want to compete with Premier League opposition and although they’re the top of the tree in terms of quality in the Premier League, we need to step up and get better if we want to compete.

“There were things we can probably do better on the ball but it’s extremely hard because you’re chasing players and getting in positions with your body that are draining on your legs to stop them from playing.

“It’s just taking those moments and unfortunately we couldn’t do it, and we made a couple of mistakes.”

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For Jebbison it was an especially-galling moment after the teenager was given the chance to shine on the biggest stage of all ahead of fellow forward Oli McBurnie.

“I said to Jebbo that I’d been in that position so many times as a young defender, where the ball’s bouncing around in the penalty area,” Baldock added. “One manager said to me: ‘When you have your head down in the box, just don’t swipe at it; try and nudge it out of the way.’

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“These are clever footballers, I’m sure Bernardo Silva can see that coming a mile off. Straight after it a few of us went up to Jebbo and said: ‘Just leave it.’

“I think he’d get an absolute rollicking, any of us would, if we just walked and let a runner go off. But it wasn’t, it was a genuine attempt to clear the ball when he was back defending, and it was just one of those things.

“I actually felt he got a nick on the ball but the VAR rules are clear and obvious.”

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