Liverpool spoil Chris Wilder's Sheffield United return with scrappy win

Sheffield United 0 Liverpool 2

Mo Salah will have to wait a little longer for his landmark goal after two players less synonymous with the scoresheet ruined Chris Wilder's welcome home party.

Liverpool were far from convincing, but still had too much for a Sheffield United side who, unlike in their two previous heavy defeats, at least put up a fight on this occasion.

They forced Caoimhin Kelleher to earn his money early on in the Cork-born keeper's first taste of successive top flight appearances, but it was to prove a false dawn for a team who have too quickly become accustomed to losing at this level, regardless of who is in charge.

Wilder, of course, already knew it when agreeing to return to his spiritual home for a second spell in charge, but he has his work cut out in trying to keep his hometown club from an immediate return to the Championship.

He changed half his outfield players for this game in an attempt to find a much-needed spark, and if nothing else he knows that given their current status propping up the Premier League, the only way is up.

A first-half volley from Virgil van Dijk helped seal an eighth match unbeaten in the league for Jurgen Klopp's side, and in the process trim Arsenal's advantage at the summit to two points.

The visitors could have won by more, and Salah was thwarted in his bid to become only the fifth player to score 200 goals for Liverpool thanks to a stunning one-handed save by Wes Foderingham early in the second-half as Liverpool looked to further exploit the Blades' apparent inability to defend corners.

The second eventually arrived deep into stoppage time when Darwin Nunez won back the ball outside the Sheffield United box before teeing-up Dominik Szoboszlai to thump an