Lys Mousset's first goal for Sheffield United sealed the points for the Blades at Goodison Park
Sheffield United won away for the first time on their return to the Premier League as a Yerry Mina own goal and a late Lys Mousset strike condemned Everton to defeat at Goodison Park.
The Toffees had won their first two games on home soil this season and dominated for large periods of this game as they looked to bounce back from defeat at Bournemouth last time out.
However, they fell behind five minutes before the break when a ball from an Oliver Norwood corner deflected off Mina to land in the back of the net.
The Blades withstood huge pressure as the home side looked to rescue something from the game and, although Bernard had a penalty appeal waved away, Everton struggled to find a way through a resolute defence.
Chris Wilder's side made certain of a superb away victory when substitute Mousset raced through before calmly slotting beyond Jordan Pickford for his first Sheffield United goal.
The win means Sheffield United move up to eighth with eight points, four clear of the relegation zone. Everton, who were booed at the final whistle, are 14th with six points.
Resolute Blades enjoying life on the road
Sheffield United made a strong start to life back in the Premier League, with four points from their first two games. But home defeats to Leicester and Southampton suggested the early momentum was on the wane.
The Blades have, however, been a tough side to defeat on the road, with Chris Wilder's side unbeaten away from home since the middle of January.
They showed great resilience to come back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Chelsea in their last away game, and they executed their game plan superbly against an Everton side that until Saturday had a 100% record on home soil this season.
The visitors' back three of John Egan, Jack O'Connell and Chris Basham were superb throughout, limiting Everton to mostly half-chances. On the few occasions the home side did get through, Dean Henderson put in a commanding performance in the Sheffield United goal.
Home form is always key to a side's hopes of avoiding relegation, but the South Yorkshire club's strong away displays will stand them in good stead to avoid an immediate drop back to the Championship.
Consistency key for up-and-down Everton
Inconsistency has been a concern for Everton this season, with the Blues following up good performances with disappointing ones.
They have collected just one point from a possible nine on the road, but at Goodison the Toffees had been strong, and this game presented an opportunity for Marco Silva's side to make it three wins from three.
Everton dominated from the outset with their attacking quartet of Richarlison, Moise Kean, Bernard and Gylfi Sigurdsson at times linking up excellently.
However, their defence had shipped seven goals in their previous three games and they were once again suspect at the back on the rare occasions Sheffield United got into the Everton half. Passes often went astray while they dithered on the ball inside their own box for far longer than the home fans were comfortable with.
Under Silva, Everton have conceded more goals from set pieces than any other side in the Premier League, so for Sheffield United's goal to have come from a corner perhaps came as little surprise.
But a concerning statistic for Everton fans is that their side has never come from behind to win during Silva's tenure, and as this game wore on they became increasingly desperate in their search for an equaliser.
Everton have conceded at least two goals in each of their last five games, something Silva will need to rectify soon, particularly with free-scoring Manchester City their next opponents at Goodison Park.
What's next?
Everton travel to Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup on Tuesday (19:45 BST), while Sheffield United are at home to Sunderland in the same competition on Wednesday (19:45 BST).
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Everton
1Pickford
23ColemanSubstituted forWalcottat 71'minutes
5Keane
13Mina
12Digne
18SchneiderlinSubstituted forIwobiat 55'minutes
8Delph
7Richarlison
10G Sigurdsson
20BernardBooked at 21minsSubstituted forTosunat 55'minutes
27Kean
Substitutes
2Holgate
9Calvert-Lewin
11Walcott
14Tosun
17Iwobi
22Stekelenburg
26Davies
Sheff Utd
1HendersonBooked at 21mins
6Basham
12Egan
5O'Connell
2BaldockBooked at 21mins
7Lundstram
16NorwoodBooked at 16minsSubstituted forJagielkaat 64'minutes
4Fleck
3Stevens
9McBurnieSubstituted forOsbornat 83'minutes
11RobinsonSubstituted forMoussetat 62'minutes
Substitutes
8Freeman
14Morrison
15Jagielka
18Freeman
22Mousset
23Osborn
25Moore
Referee:
Simon Hooper
Attendance:
39,354
Match Stats
Home TeamEvertonAway TeamSheff Utd
Possession
Home70%
Away30%
Shots
Home16
Away2
Shots on Target
Home3
Away1
Corners
Home12
Away3
Fouls
Home9
Away9
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Everton 0, Sheffield United 2.
Full TimePosted at 90'+5'
Second Half ends, Everton 0, Sheffield United 2.
Posted at 90'+5'
Attempt blocked. Theo Walcott (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Posted at 90'+4'
Richarlison (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 90'+4'
Foul by Chris Basham (Sheffield United).
Posted at 90'+1'
Foul by Lucas Digne (Everton).
Posted at 90'+1'
Phil Jagielka (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 90'+1'
Yerry Mina (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 90'+1'
Foul by Lys Mousset (Sheffield United).
Posted at 89'
Foul by Moise Kean (Everton).
Posted at 89'
Enda Stevens (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
SubstitutionPosted at 83'
Substitution, Sheffield United. Ben Osborn replaces Oliver McBurnie.
Posted at 81'
Corner, Everton. Conceded by Phil Jagielka.
Posted at 81'
Attempt blocked. Theo Walcott (Everton) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Cenk Tosun.
Goal!Posted at 79'
Goal! Everton 0, Sheffield United 2. Lys Mousset (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by John Lundstram with a through ball following a fast break.
Posted at 77'
Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Fabian Delph.
Posted at 75'
Foul by Moise Kean (Everton).
Posted at 75'
Enda Stevens (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 75'
Attempt blocked. Cenk Tosun (Everton) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Posted at 75'
Attempt blocked. Moise Kean (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Alex Iwobi.
Posted at 73'
Attempt missed. Chris Basham (Sheffield United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by John Fleck with a cross.
SubstitutionPosted at 71'
Substitution, Everton. Theo Walcott replaces Séamus Coleman.
Posted at 70'
Hand ball by Michael Keane (Everton).
Posted at 69'
Séamus Coleman (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 69'
Foul by Lys Mousset (Sheffield United).
SubstitutionPosted at 64'
Substitution, Sheffield United. Phil Jagielka replaces Oliver Norwood.
Posted at 63'
Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 63'
Foul by John Fleck (Sheffield United).
SubstitutionPosted at 62'
Substitution, Sheffield United. Lys Mousset replaces Callum Robinson.
Posted at 62'
Attempt missed. Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.
Posted at 61'
Corner, Everton. Conceded by Enda Stevens.
Posted at 60'
Offside, Everton. Yerry Mina tries a through ball, but Cenk Tosun is caught offside.
Posted at 58'
Corner, Everton. Conceded by John Egan.
Posted at 57'
Corner, Everton. Conceded by Dean Henderson.
Posted at 57'
Attempt saved. Moise Kean (Everton) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Richarlison.
Posted at 57'
Corner, Everton. Conceded by John Egan.
Posted at 56'
Corner, Everton. Conceded by George Baldock.
SubstitutionPosted at 55'
Substitution, Everton. Cenk Tosun replaces Bernard.
SubstitutionPosted at 55'
Substitution, Everton. Alex Iwobi replaces Morgan Schneiderlin.
Posted at 54'
Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Michael Keane.
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Source: bbc.com