Jannik Vestergaard 8, Che Adams 7; Phil Jagielka 7, Sander Berge 4: Southampton v Sheffield United player ratings

Saints comfortable 3-0 winners over woeful Blades at St Mary's

SOUTHAMPTON RATINGS: Alex McCarthy - 6: Will have tougher days at the office as the Blades failed to muster a single shot on target. Getty

Kyle Walker-Peters - 7: Fired chance high and wide just before break. Some impressive interchanges with Walcott down the right. A class act defensively - although that wasn't tested here - and on the attack. EPA

Jannik Vestergaard - 8: Impressive distribution out from back and some real flashes of quality with the ball. Headed good chance just wide from a corner after 21 minutes, then did the same 20 minutes from time. Rarely troubled by a Blades attack desperately short of belief and quality. AFP

Jan Bednarek - 7: Enjoyed a running battle with McBurnie in first half which the Pole won with ease. Good partnership with Vestergaard in centre of defence. Getty

Ryan Bertrand - 7: Left-back not remotely threatened by the Blades’ weak attack. One brilliant ball across six-yard box just after half-time that was crying out for a finish. Getty

James Ward-Prowse - 8: Mixed up his corners to great effect causing plenty of problems for the away side. Frustrated with his weak finish straight at Ramsdale in first half. Close to scoring with second-half free-kick. Apart from constant dead-ball threat, there was also plenty of quality runs and passes from the midfielder in open play. AFP

Oriol Romeu - 8: Strong presence sitting in front of the back four and saw plenty of the ball. Some lovely diagonal passes to wide positions. Sliced a first-half chance well wide of target. Provided pass in run-up to Redmond scoring the third goal. Reuters

Theo Walcott - 7: A superb surging attack down the right from the on-loan attacker in the first half was was ended by a crude foul. A lovely run, exchange of passes with Walker-Peters and then fine cross from the right on the hour. Clearly remains a huge fans’ favourite and is enjoying himself back at St Mary’s. AFP

Stuart Armstrong - 7: Miscued early chance from smart Ward-Prowse low corner. Some good driving runs from midfield. Enjoyed large slice of luck when his weak shot took a massive deflection for second goal. EPA

Danny Ings - 7: First clear chance of game but couldn’t find way past Ramsdale. Denied deserved goal in second half by another good Ramsdale stop. Surprisingly tried to set-up Walcott instead of shooting himself late on. A constant menace to Sheffield United from start to finish. EPA

Che Adams - 7: Threaded fine ball to set-up chance for Ings in 17th minute. Former Blade put the Saints into a thoroughly deserved lead, finishing at the near post after taking advantage of slack defending. EPA

SUBS: Nathan Redmond - (On for Walcott 80’) 7: Lovely exchange of passes with Romeu before brilliant side-footed finish to make it 3-0 minutes after coming on. EPA

Daniel N’Lundulu - (On for Adama 84') N/A. Charged down Ramsdale kick with his first touch. Reuters

Ibrahima Diallo - (On for Romeu 86’) N/A. USA TODAY sports

SHEFFIELD UNITED RATINGS: Aaron Ramsdale - 6: On his toes to deny Ings in first half and then to stop a couple of inswinging Ward-Prowse corners flying straight into the net. Unconvincing on first goal, completely wrong-footed by deflection for second. Excellent block with leg to deny Ings with 15 minutes left. Too slow kicking out from deck and was nearly caught out three or four times. AFP

George Baldock - 5: Wingback was non-existent as attacking option down the right as the Blades were set-up as a back five simply to try and stop Southampton. EPA

Chris Basham - 5: Important block on Ings when Saints striker was baring down on goal in first half but generally struggled to deal with the livewire striker. Reuters

Phil Jagielka - 7: Blades turned to their 38-year-old defender for the first time this season and the veteran showed he has lost none of his timing with vital challenge to take ball off toes of Ings in first 20 minutes. His deflection wrong-footed Ramsdale for second Saints' goal. Away team’s best player although not much competition. Getty

John Egan - 4: Really poor defending when he turned his back on Adams before the Saints attacker opened the scoring. Couldn’t keep header down from Fleck corner at start of second period. Getty

Enda Stevens - 5: Left wingback returned to side from injury and looked off the pace early doors. Booked for obvious handball after half an hour. Reuters

Ethan Ampadu - 5: Chasing shadows in first half with the Saints easily winning the midfield battle. Almost gifted Saints a chance when he lost possession 10 minutes after break. Reuters

Sander Berge - 4: Glorious chance to open scoring – completely against run of play – in first half but failed to even hit the target with low shot. Wasted chance to set-up McBurnie just before half-time when his weak cross was easily cleared. Should have been booked for late challenge on Romeu just before the hour. Generally poor. AP

John Fleck - 5: First in good low cross for Berge in first half but midfielder failed to take advatange. The three in midfield were completely overrun in first half. Great in-swinging corner set-up chance that Egan failed to finish. Getty

Ollie McBurnie - 5: A thankless task for the Scot who was feeding off scraps with supply line from midfield non-existent. Landed awkwardly on his shoulder in first half and never looked comfortable from then on. Hooked just after half-time. EPA

Billy Sharp - 4: Another veteran called into the fray, the 34-year-old made his second league start of season but barely figured as Southampton dominated game. PA

SUBS: David McGoldrick - (On for McBurnie 48’) 4: Brought on early in second half but couldn’t change the pattern of one-sided game. Getty

Rhian Brewster - (On for Sharp 60’) 4: Like rest of attackers, the Blades’ record signing given no service after coming on. PA

Lys Mousset - (On for Basham 71’) 5: No opportunity to shine. Getty

Southampton striker Che Adams scored against his former club as the Saints beat Premier League strugglers Sheffield United 3-0 at St Mary's Stadium on Sunday to go third in the table.

Midfielders Stuart Armstrong and Nathan Redmond struck after the interval to leave Chris Wilder's side in dire straights at the foot of the table with just one point from 12 games.

Southampton dominated possession and went ahead on 34 minutes as the Blades failed to properly deal with a James Ward-Prowse free kick and Adams reacted quickest to tap home his fourth league goal of the season in front of 2,000 supporters.

Armstrong doubled the home side's lead in the second half with a low shot that gave Blades goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale no chance as it took a big deflection off defender Phil Jagielka and rolled into the net.

Substitute Redmond scored his first goal of the season seven minutes from time with a side-footed finish following an exchange with midfielder Oriol Romeu to heap the pressure on Wilder's side who clearly lack confidence and quality.

"We knew it would be a tough one. They're quite defensive. We knew that they would want to get something from the game," Armstrong said after the match.

"It was important to get that breakthrough early on. The first few minutes of the second half were a bit difficult, but we found our feet and deserved the win.

"Ultimately, we want to be at the top end of the table. We've found ourselves in the bottom half in recent years ... We take things game by game, but today's a good start."