Sheffield United 0-5 Aston Villa: Five different goalscorers for the Villains as Unai Emery’s side thrash the Blades to climb back into the top four

Chris Wilder was spitting feathers about the referees’ picnic after defeat at Crystal Palace but this rolling buffet of Aston Villa goals will be even more difficult to digest.

Sheffield United were destroyed by rampant Villa, who were four up inside half an hour, coasted through the second half and finished with five, to end their winter wobble and move back into the top four.

There were five different scorers, with Ollie Watkins among them and setting up three of the others as the home side offered no resistance on the counter attack, and this time, none of it was down to the officials.

Wilder raged about injustices following the defeat at Palace on Tuesday, his mood darkened by one of the referee’s assistants who carried on munching his sandwich when the Blades boss went to see the officials.

At Bramall Lane, one Villa fan posed for photo before kick-off, wearing a ref’s shirt as he nibbled on a pre-match butty. It did the rounds on social media as Unai Emery’s team dismantled the home side.

John McGinn scored the opening goal as Aston Villa routed Sheffield United on Saturday

This rolling buffet of Aston Villa goals will be even more difficult for Chris Wilder to digest 

Ollie Watkins scored one and set up three others as the home side offered no resistance

John McGinn was first to tuck in, an open goal tapped in after Watkins raced onto a pass by Douglas Luiz and clipped a shot over Wes Foderingham as the goalkeeper slid out.

Watkins’ effort bounced against a post and McGinn was rewarded for his anticipation with his eighth Villa goal of the season.

Four minutes later and Watkins found the target, a brilliant precision strike set up by a delicious pass by Luiz, played with the outside of the foot, curled behind Anel Ahmedhodzic into the path of the England international.

Watkins accelerated through an inside right channel took the pass in his stride and unleashed a precision finish, low into the far corner.

Leon Bailey scored the third, another sweeping break out of defence. All too simple from Wilder’s point of view. McGinn challenged for a high ball out of defence, Watkins pounced on the loose ball and picked out Bailey, who carried it into the penalty area, jinked onto his left foot and found the top corner.

Just as it seemed everything they hit would go in, Youri Tielemans was denied by a goalline clearance by Vini Souza. Tielemans appeared unmarked, deep beyond the back post and volleyed a corner at goal.

Souza headed clear but the relief was brief as another Villa corner was headed out by Ben Brereton Diaz to Tielemans on the edge of the box. He smashed it back in off the bar to make it 4-0.

It was brutal. Four goals in 16 minutes and Villa became the first to score four in the first half hour of the Premier League away game since Chelsea at Bolton in October 2011.

Sheffield United had created very little. Brereton had the game’s first effort of saved by Emi Martinez and Mason Holgate, on a debut to forget, headed wide from a James McAtee free-kick three down.

Villa came out and scored the fifth, 83 seconds after the restart. Bailey pounced on a defensive mistake by Auston Trusty, back-heeled to Watkins who clipped a cross square for Alex Moreno to volley in.

Alex Moreno got Aston Villa’s fifth with a volley shortly after the start of the second half 

Vinicius Souza scored a scant consolation for the hosts, but it was ruled out by VAR for offside

Unai Emery’s side climbed into the top four with their impressive victory at Bramall Lane

Plenty of those who had stayed out of blind loyalty, singing about chip butties, made for the exits. Blades have taken some punishment here this season. Newcastle feasted on eight in September and Brighton on five in the FA Cup.

Emery took no chances. Luiz, who took a knock in the first half, did not return for the second and Ezri Konsa came off after colliding with a post. New signing Morgan Rogers came on for his debut and skied a wonderful chance to mark it with a goal.

Sheffield United’s best came in an untidy ending. Martinez made a miraculous double-save late on to deny Ahmedhodzic and Jack Robinson from close range, and the VAR ruled out a goal by Vini Souza in stoppage time.

It summed it all up for the team now 10 points adrift of safety at the bottom.