Luton 1-3 Sheffield United: Cameron Archer, James McAtee and Vinicius Souza provide the cutting edge to hand Blades huge win over relegation rivals at Kenilworth Road

Sheffield United had been accused of throwing in the towel in their battle for survival. On this evidence, there is plenty of fight left in Chris Wilder’s side yet.

A week on from the dismal drubbing by Aston Villa, the Blades recorded their first league victory on the road this season as they ripped up the formbook and cut the gap to 17th-placed Luton to seven points.

‘There was a steely attitude and a desire to go a little way in putting what went wrong last week into today’s performance and we did,’ Wilder said.

‘I told the players there was only one place where they can go and answer what people might think, and that’s on the pitch. It was time to dig out a performance and they certainly did that.’

Two goals in six first-half minutes put them on course. Cameron Archer went from zero to hero, first producing one of the misses of the season before making immediate amends seconds later.

James McAtee (left) doubled Sheffield United’s lead after Cameron Archer put them 1-0 up

Luton thought they had a chance of pulling off a comeback when Carlton Morris scored

Vinicius Souza scored the goal to seal all three points for Sheffield United in the vital away win

Archer took advantage of a mistake from Gabriel Osho, nipped in and finished with aplomb. The relief was there for all to see.

Then VAR intervened. Referee Chris Kavanagh adjudged Reece Burke to have handled in the area when blocking a Vini Souza header and awarded a penalty, cooly converted by James McAtee.

Luton got a spot-kick of their own in similar circumstances just after the break, Kavanagh giving handball against Souza after VAR told him to go to the pitchside monitor. Carlton Morris did the rest to halve the deficit.

‘I don’t think either of them were penalties,’ said Luton boss Rob Edwards.

Archer (right) was quick off the mark for the visiting side as Chris Wilder’s team sought to improve on their tepid form

Souza’s third for the Blades poured cold water on Luton’s hopes of recapturing the match 

The travellers still sit rock bottom of the table but are now level on points with Burnley in 19th

Wilder will have work to do as he aims to haul the club up the table to ensure a second season of top-flight football

Now it became a test of Sheffield United’s mettle, and thankfully for Wilder and the 1,350 travelling fans, it was one they passed.

As Luton went in search of an equaliser, the visitors countered. Ben Osborn fed Souza, whose right-footed drive found the bottom corner to seal the deal. Cue pandemonium in the away end.

Defeat here drags Luton back into the dogfight as they missed the chance to go four clear of Everton. ‘It was an opportunity but there’s still a long way to go,’ said Edwards.