Sheffield United top Championship table as Rooney’s agony deepens

Sheffield United regained top spot in the English Championship on Sunday despite being held 1-1 by managerless West Brom as pressure mounted on Plymouth boss Wayne Rooney following another demoralising defeat.

Andre Brooks gave Sheffield United the lead in the early kick-off before Karlan Grant’s equaliser in first-half stoppage time earned the Baggies their first point since Carlos Corberan departed on Christmas Eve.

The Blades moved one point clear of Leeds, who play at Derby later Sunday, while third-placed Burnley face Middlesbrough at the Riverside in a 2000 GMT kick-off.

“We are so stretched it’s unbelievable, and I’m so proud of my team,” Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder told the BBC.

“I thought we were light at the start of the season but I’ve learned so much about their attitude, especially late on. A few of them have not been well this week, but they left everything out there.”

Fourth-placed Sunderland lost 1-0 at Stoke, for whom Tom Cannon struck a stoppage-time winner, and Blackburn’s promotion bid was dealt a blow as they lost 1-0 at home to Hull.

Ryan Longman’s first goal of the season was enough to secure Hull their first away win since October and leave Blackburn with just one point from their past three matches.

Rooney’s Plymouth remain rock bottom of the table after a 2-0 defeat at Oxford extended their winless league run to nine matches.

Ciaron Brown put the hosts ahead in the first half and Przemyslaw Placheta doubled their lead just after the hour mark.

“We didn’t create enough chances and didn’t do enough to stop them scoring their goals,” said former Manchester United and England forward Rooney.

“I expected a bit more today and we didn’t get it but that’s football, and unfortunately we come away with the defeat.”

Watford suffered a setback in their bid for a top-six finish, losing 2-1 at home to Cardiff.

Anis Mehmeti fired a first-half double as Bristol City beat relegation-threatened Portsmouth 3-0 at Ashton Gate.

Marcelino Nunez’s late strike rescued a point for Norwich in a 1-1 draw against QPR while Myles Peart-Harris’s stoppage-time header clinched Swansea a 2-1 home win against 10-man Luton.

Frank Lampard’s Coventry were held 0-0 at home by Millwall and Preston made it back-to-back league wins for the first time this season thanks to Emil Riis’ double in a 3-1 home win against Sheffield Wednesday.