Billy Sharp cuts through Sheffield United's poor start and Dean Henderson secures victory

As the new signings came into Bramall Lane, it looked like Sharp and John Lundstram might be left behind. There was even talk, much to his bemusement, that the Blades captain might want to leave. Against Norwich City the pair reminded everyone they still have a huge part in the Blades' fairytale.

Sharp's third goal in four games, from a Lundstram cross, transformed the mood and the match after a frustrating start against a perked-up Norwich.

Even so, it took some astonishing goalkeeping from Dean Henderson to earn his side a 1-0 win which was greeted at full-time in a way which told you its importance, and complimented the Canaries for the way they made it so difficult.

It was not as if the hosts had been sluggish out of the traps, Oli McBurnie's header from a Sharp cross forcing Tim Krul to tip over inside the fourth minute, but once they found their feet, Norwich took control of the game.

The Blades' brains trust did a lot of chatting on the touchline, but the biggest problem their side was facing was not tactical, but technical. They were just struggling to pass the ball from A to B.

While they looked like the nervous, relegation-threatened side, it was the visitors who had the air of confidence of a side pushing for Europe at that stage.

When Emilliano Bunedia picked the ball up in far too much space in the 14th minute, he turned and produced a 25-yard shot which took a touch and won a corner. From it, Temmu Pukki volleyed against Henderson's post.

While it did not translate into a landslide of attacks, Sheffield United were distinctly off colour, their supporters understandably anxious,

The tide started to turn in the 33rd minute when John Egan and Jack O'Connell had shots blocked at the same corner. The crowd knew their job, and fed off the encouragement.

Four minutes later the ball was played out to the right from where Lundstram – chosen ahead of club record signing Sander Berge – produced an outstanding cross and Sharp thumped a diving header which although not a million miles away from Krul, gave the goalkeeper no chance.

Suddenly, the passes were sticking and the attacks were clicking.

Lundstram chested the ball down for himself and shot a fraction wide, McBurnie's acrobatics put the ball wide and Krul ended the half with a save from Lundstram, who collected the lay-off when Sharp had the ball drilled into his feet.

Having been clinging on hoping Chris Wilder could work some half-time magic, the whistle for the end of the first period was suddenly unwelcome, and it disrupted the flow a bit but eventually the Blades' reasserted themselves without playing with the same dominance they had ended the half with.

Lundstram was at the heart of it, and his blocked shot just before the hour lifted the crowd again, as did Chris Basham's extravagant penalty-area skill to lift the ball overt his marker and make space, only to put his shot over from a tight angle.

When those chances stayed out, it looked like the Blades might have to grind out a 1-0 win, but they were only able to do that thanks to some outstanding goalkeeping.

Substitutes Mario Vrancic and Josip Drmic had close-range chances they ought to have buried in the 79th minute, but Henderson somehow got in their way.

He foiled Vrancic low at the near post and was still on the ground when Drmic got onto the rebound, yet tipped it onto the bar. David McGoldrick, another late arrival to the game, cleared.

By comparison, the near-post save to keep out Jamal Lewis seven minutes later was a doddle.

Over the course of the 90 minutes, the victory was deserved, but far from easy. It took the Blades back up to sixth, outside the Champions League places only on goal difference, and with a game in hand on Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Sheffield United: Henderson; Basham, Egan, O'Connell; Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Stevens (Osborn 60); McBurnie (Berge 90), Sharp (McGoldrick 71).

Unused substitutes: Jagielka, Verrips, Mousset, Retsos.

Norwich City: Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Godfrey, Lewis; Tettey (Vrancic 67), McLean; Buendia, Duda (Idah 87), Cantwell (Drmic 46); Pukki.

Unused substitutes: Zimmermann, Rupp, Stiepermann, McGovern.

Referee: S Hooper (Wiltshire).