Chelsea are left shattered by late drama this time as they fail to follow up on win over Man United, writes KIERAN GILL

The pigeon that somehow invaded the Bramall Lane press room felt like a fitting reminder of the flapping on show from Mauricio Pochettino’s band of multimillion-pound players, Sunday's surrender being the latest example in a season plagued by softness.

Chelsea had chances to clear their lines in stoppage time against the side propping up the Premier League table. Instead, they watched as Gustavo Hamer and Cameron Archer won headers ahead of Mykhailo Mudryk and Trevoh Chalobah to leave Oli McBurnie to equalise for a Sheffield United side that never said die.

McBurnie's leveller meant Chelsea have now conceded at least twice in their last seven consecutive games. It is a concerning record for a team trying to think big, and this collapse did little to disprove their critics who claim they have turned into the Robin Hood of the Premier League.

They say Chelsea’s last six matches sum up their unhelpful habit for taking from the rich and giving to the poor. They frustrate Manchester City, then they draw with Brentford. They defeat Newcastle, then they draw with Burnley. They beat Manchester United in a match of high drama, then they draw here, with Pochettino admitting afterwards that they got what they deserved.

‘Of course they were tired but that is not an excuse today to not win the game in the end,’ Pochettino said when asked about Thursday's thriller with United at Stamford Bridge, a game in which Cole Palmer scored in the 10th and 11th minutes of stoppage time. 'They can be tired, of course. That is why we have an unbelievable training centre to provide everything – food, vitamins, recovery, swimming pool, masseurs, all that you know.

‘But then it is about being competitive. Watching football like us, 52 years old, you