Following a 100 day interruption triggered by the coronavirus outbreak, the Premier League resumed on Wednesday evening with Aston Villa playing host to Sheffield United at a spectator less Villa Park.
The contest ended scoreless but was engulfed in controversy as the technology system linked to the referees watch failed to register a legitimate goal scored by the visiting ‘Blades’.
Conor Hourihane was in action for the hosts and his general passing, coupled with his deadball delivery, was in fine working order and is likely to appeal to new Ireland manager Stephen Kenny.
The visitors included John Egan and Enda Stevens in their starting eleven with David McGoldrick a 69th minute substitute. While there were no major problems attributable to the trio, none of them was as prominent as they had been prior to the coronavirus shutdown.