FA Cup: Sheffield United 1-0 Bristol City - Billy Sharp sends Blades into quarter-finals
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Sheffield United 1-0 Bristol City
Billy Sharp's penalty sent Sheffield United into the FA Cup quarter-finals at the expense of 10-man Championship side Bristol City.
The game's defining moment came when David McGoldrick's goal-bound shot hit defender Alfie Mawson on the hand.
After viewing replays on the video screen, referee Robert Jones sent off Mawson and awarded the Blades a penalty, which Sharp slammed home.
United had the better chances, with Max Lowe hitting the bar in the first half.
The draw for the quarter-finals is on Thursday, before Barnsley's tie with Chelsea (20:00 GMT). The sixth-round ties will be played on the weekend of 20 and 21 March.
Bristol City manager Dean Holden said VAR is "killing the game" and added that the red card and penalty would not have been awarded had his side been at home.
VAR is only used in FA Cup games at Premier League stadiums.
Holden told BBC Sport: "To lose that way to a VAR penalty is disappointing. If it would have been played at Ashton Gate it wouldn't have been given.
"I don't know how you can have it at one and not the other. I'm not a VAR fan - I think it's killing the game. It's not the game of football I grew up loving.
"It's a hugely debatable decision. The boys defended for their lives and once the referee goes to the screen he will never change his mind, so it's disappointing."
Sheffield United also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup last season - the first time they had done so as a top-flight side since 1992-93
Bristol City gave a good account of themselves despite being on a three-game losing run in the second tier and with 11 players sidelined.
Nahki Wells missed their best chance at the start of the second half when the forward shot straight at Aaron Ramsdale in a one-on-one - while Jamie Paterson was unmarked in the centre.
Chris Wilder's Blades - who also reached the FA Cup quarter-finals last season - deserved their victory with McGoldrick and Jayden Bogle each going close twice.
But in the end they needed the intervention of VAR to spot Mawson's handball - which deflected the ball onto the bar - to give Sharp the opportunity to fire his side into the last eight.
Wilder said: "Hopefully we can use this momentum as we have done previously to see if we can pick some points up in the Premier League.
"A win's a win. We haven't had enough of them this season. That's what the message was to the players.
"The manner of our goal will be debated and it might look like a tight game but we always looked comfortable and like we were going to go through to the next round."
Blades' best cup pedigree in 17 years - match stats
Sheffield United have reached the FA Cup quarter-finals in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2002-03 and 2003-04.
Bristol City have not won an FA Cup away game against a top-flight side since January 1994 (1-0 v Liverpool).
After failing to win any of their first eight home games in 2020-21, Sheffield United have now won four of their last six games at Bramall Lane.
Billy Sharp has been directly involved in half of Sheffield United's goals at Bramall Lane this season (6/12), scoring five goals and providing one assist.
Sharp has converted nine of his last 10 penalties (excluding shootouts), including all three this season.
Alfie Mawson is the first Bristol City player to be sent off in an FA Cup game since January 2012.
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