Sheffield United Shock Southampton

Sheffield United claimed a second Premier League scalp of the season to book a Capital One Cup semi-final spot after beating hapless Southampton.

The League One Blades, who reached the last four of the FA Cup last season, saw off West Ham in the second round and were at it again in a one-sided quarter-final as Marc McNulty's 63rd-minute winner gave them a 1-0 victory over Ronald Koeman's men at Bramall Lane.

McNulty pounced from close range and that proved enough, but their winning margin and Southampton's humiliation would have been far greater had goalkeeper Fraser Forster not made a string of fine saves.

The defeat is a fifth in a row and on this evidence the bubble has firmly burst on Southampton's stellar start to the campaign, with the visitors worryingly out-fought by Nigel Clough's men.

They rarely threatened throughout and their misery was compounded at the death when Florin Gardos was dismissed for hauling down McNulty.

The Blades hit the woodwork after just three minutes when Jay McEveley’s looping effort landed on top of the bar, while Louis Reed and Florent Cuvelier also came close to breaking the deadlock just before the break.

McEveley and Michael Doyle both forced saves from Fraser Forster following the restart before the Blades took a deserved lead.

A free-kick on the edge of the area was hit low by Harris and Forster could not hold it, with McNulty following up and bundling home from close range.

Southampton finally forced Blades goalkeeper Mark Howard into his first save of the night when his feet kept out Sadio Mane's low effort.

But it was Forster who remained the busiest Saint on the pitch as he kept his side in it with another save, staying big to deny McNulty, who should have scored.

Southampton did not even threaten to force extra-time.