It was a Blade stunner and a famous victory for Chris Wilder’s side on their return to the Premier League as they moved up to ninth in the table and deservedly so.
Nothing should detract from their night as they showed the organisation, the strength, the desire and the heart to overcome a far better-resourced team with Champions League ambitions but one which has that perennial fragility and, yes, mental weakness.
Sheffield United are also such a committed, attractive side to watch with their bold and innovative tactics and positivity.
Arsenal will argue that decisions went against them, most obviously a penalty claim that was waved away by referee Mike Dean before Sheffield United scored when John Egan pulled Sokratis’s shirt at a corner, even if the victim over-exaggerated by wildly throwing his arms in the air.
But this was not good enough and it was summed up by the nature of the goal they conceded – from yet another set-piece – and by the frustrated body language of their manager, Unai Emery, who sat on an advertising hoarding at one stage as United ended a run of three home defeats.
But what about the goal? It was a calamity. An abomination of dis-organisation for Arsenal as Sheffield United won yet another corner. Emery had delivered his warning, shaking his fist at his team to stay strong as the home side earned their first corner early on, but it was not heeded.
No-one marked Jack O’Connell as he reached the ball beyond the far post, and for some reason Lys Mousset was allowed to stand on his own next to goalkeeper Bernd Leno – who had no chance as the forward turned in the header back from close-range.
It was the first goal for the £10 million misfit who had struggled to get a game at Bournemouth. Who was at fault for Arsenal? Everyone it seemed – including Emery, whose job it is to organise his team better and who was a man in denial afterwards claiming the defeat was undeserved.