Sheffield United 0 Brighton 5: Blades officially the worst defence in Premier League history after humiliating defeat

MASON HOLGATE, hang your head in shame.

Forget late, high, reckless and dangerous, his disgraceful ‘challenge’ on Karou Mitoma was straight up assault.

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For once Sheffield United came into a game full of beans following victory at Luton, dreaming up the unlikeliest of escapes from the bottom three.

And then up steps Holgate, in just his fourth game on loan from Everton, with one of the worst tackles in Premier League history just 11 minutes in.

Ok, it was there to be won - but what followed was truly horrific.

Who knows what the braindead defender was thinking as he steamed in, but he completely missed the ball before following through - wildly out of control - on Mitoma’s knee.

You won’t see a clearer red, unless you’re ref Stuart Attwell, who somehow thought a yellow was appropriate before upgrading it after checking his monitor.

A potential career-ending tackle, Mitoma thankfully escaped injury and was buzzing around again before long.

United boss Chris Wilder refused to look at the 27-year-old trudged as he sheepishly trudged off.

Holgate has now picked up a ridiculous three red cards in 36 games, and the only justice here would be to see him slapped with more than the standard three-game ban.

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And what of the cost to Sheffield United? We know who would have been happy to see the Blades lose again, and that’s Holgate’s parent club down at the bottom of the league.

With an extra man for 80 minutes, Brighton strolled to victory thanks to Facundo Buonanotte, Danny Welbeck, a Jack Robinson own goal and Simon Adringa’s brace.

Having won here 5-1 in the FA Cup, it’s now 10 goals at Bramall Lane for Brighton in the last three weeks.

Filled with hope before a ball was kicked, rock-bottom United look doomed once again.

They’ve now shipped 65 goals, more than any other side after 25 games.

To be fair to the South Yorkshiremen, they battled on manfully without Holgate until the Seagulls ran away with it late on.

United started brightly in the glorious sunshine before Holgate darkened the afternoon.

But the writing was on the wall just seven minutes after he was given his marching orders when Buonanotte opened the scoring.

Pascal Gross’ deep corner was nodded back across goal, Adam Webster got a glancing touch and the young Argentinian midfielder bundled home.

Twenty-four minutes in and it was game over. Gross was on hand with the delivery again, whipping a cross to Mitoma at the back post.

The Japanese star’s first-time effort from a tight angle was parried by Wes Foderingham straight into the path of the unmarked Welbeck, who smashed home his fourth of the campaign.

United thought they pegged one back just before the break, but scorer Ben Osborn was correctly given offside following another VAR check.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side naturally bossed the whole of the second half without ever getting out of third gear - not that they needed to in order to bag another three.

Mitoma, fully recovered from being poleaxed earlier, got an assist with a wicked ball in from the left, with hapless Jack Robinson spooning into his own net.

And moments later it was 4-0 when Adingra hooked in Gross’ cross, before the Ivory Coast winger got his second late on with a deflected effort over Foderingham.

Brighton’s biggest win of the Prem season - and the first time they’ve ever scored five on the road in the top flight - this is a huge result for their European chances having not won away in six.

Leapfrogging West Ham and Newcastle into seventh, the Champions League may be out of reach but a successive top-six finish is well within their sights.

Yet this game will only be remembered for one thing, so hopefully we won’t be seeing Holgate grace a football pitch for a while yet.

Check out how the action unfolded via our live blog below...