Kieffer Moore opened the scoring with his first goal for Sheffield United since August
Sheffield United got back to winning ways after successive away defeats with a comfortable victory over Stoke City at Bramall Lane.
Goals from Kieffer Moore and Tyrese Campbell - against his former club - sealed the win for the Blades, who paid tribute to their former full-back George Baldock following his recent death at the age of 31.
The result stretched United's run to five consecutive home league wins without conceding a goal, whilst Stoke are now without a goal in their past four away matches.
The Blades leapfrog West Brom to go fourth in the Championship table and Stoke drop to 19th, just one point above the relegation zone.
United opened the scoring after 14 minutes when Wales international Moore directed Chelsea loanee Alfie Gilchrist’s fizzing low drive in for his second league goal of the season.
Junior Tchamadeu, on his return to the Stoke side, then collected Million Manhoef’s pass during a rare surge forward but his left-footed shot was comfortably saved by Michael Cooper at his near post.
Cooper’s opposite number, Viktor Johansson, then tipped away Vinicius Souza’s powerful strike.
Moore almost netted again but he was only able to send his diving header over the bar following Harrison Burrows' centre from the left.
In an often niggly affair which produced six yellow cards, United sealed the victory five minutes after half-time.
Harry Souttar’s forward pass was not dealt with by Stoke captain Ben Gibson, whose slip allowed Jesurun Rak-Sakyi to find Campbell, who scored his first goal since being released by Stoke during the summer.
Ashley Phillips was inches away from halving the deficit on the hour mark but he was unable to direct his effort on target following a scramble in the penalty area.
With 13 minutes remaining, Stoke substitute Bae Jun-Ho found Lewis Koumas but the Liverpool loanee could only fire wide at the near post - and with that the visitors' final opportunity to get back into the match had gone.
Stoke boss Narcis Pelach has now only managed one win in his first seven league matches since the club decided to sack Steven Schumacher in September.
'An emotional couple of weeks' - reaction
Sheffield United head coach Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:
“Its been an emotional last couple of weeks. I still don’t think people understand the effect it's had on all of us; players, coaches, managers, people that work with George, people in the office, staff, ex-players.
“Big challenge today, we had to make sure we got the performance right, and I thought the performance was absolutely spot-on.
"I thought the way we controlled our emotions was great. The players knew there was a lot on this game off the back of two disappointing results."
Stoke City head coach Narcis Pelach told BBC Radio Stoke:
"It was a tough opponent, tough place to go, we knew that before the game, but we conceded a goal too early in my opinion.
"It's a deflection after a free-kick and Moore is more clever than us in that moment and he scores the first one and then it looks difficult, but I think that tactically we were there and it could have gone another way.
"We had two big chances in the second half with Ashley Phillips and Lewis Koumas where we have to score".
Tributes were laid outside Bramall Lane before the match following the death of George Baldock
George Baldock was known as Starman to teammates and friends alike
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder laid a tribute of his own to Baldock on the pitch before kick off
Rhian Brewster played with Baldock at Sheffield United for four years
