Tammy Abraham shoots out the blocks but Chelsea lucky to see Sheffield United leave with only a draw

Chelsea 2-2 Sheffield United: Frank Lampard’s side were fortunate to take even a point despite Abraham’s double after failing to cope with the visitor’s second-half onslaught

Chelsea’s 2-2 draw against Sheffield United started in sunshine and ended in a storm. Frank Lampard’s team led by two goals at half-time but ended up lucky to take a point. United’s second-half onslaught deserved to earn them victory.

Tammy Abraham gave the home side a two-goal cushion but both strikes were the result of mistakes rather than Chelsea invention. The excellent Callum Robinson pulled a goal back immediately after the break and forced Kurt Zouma to turn the ball into his own goal with a minute remaining. Chris Wilder’s team deserved more.

Lampard has the goodwill of the Stamford Bridge crowd, who recognise the scale of the challenge facing the manager. Even so, given the talent available to him, Chelsea were poor. There was no pattern to their game, they were wasteful in possession and lacked creativity.

It all started so well. Chelsea will rely on Abraham for goals this season and the 21-year-old was busy early on. He found a little space in United’s congested area and controlled the ball nicely before being closed down by the centre backs. Then he ran on to a Fikayo Tomori chip but mishit his cross-goal shot.

He looked like a striker full of confidence. Advancing on the area from the left, Abraham produced a series of stepovers. One too many, in fact, and the ball ran away from him.

It did not affect his sense of purpose. After 19 minutes Cesar Azpilicueta sent in a cross and Abraham rose to meet it. The header looped goalwards without power but Christian Pulisic put pressure on Dean Henderson and the goalkeeper made a hash of collecting the ball. It bobbled out to Abraham who gleefully rammed it home. It was a gift to the striker.

It took the away team some time to recover their composure. Up until that point they had held their own. They created little but looked solid at the back and tidy in midfield. United are keen to get men upfield – this is not a team that will park the bus – but they lacked incision. Oliver McBurnie, the £20 million signing from Swansea City, was making his first Premier League start for the side so could be forgiven for being out of sync with the rest of the team but the 23-year-old looks short of pace and his movement was poor. McBurnie made Zouma’s life uncomfortable but through his physical presence rather than his goal threat.

The visiting side’s best chance of the first half came when Chris Basham drove forward. Operating from the left side of three central defenders, Basham drifted wide and swung in a tempting cross. Robinson flung himself at the ball and made contact but the header skidded wide. Within minutes United would pay for the profligacy.

Tammy Abraham continued his goalscoring form (Getty)

John Egan and Jack O’Connell collided trying to make what should have been a straightforward clearance and the ball fell to Abraham on the edge of the box. The striker coolly accepted his second gift of the game and the match looked over.

Whatever Wilder said at half time had the desired effect. Within a minute of the restart, Enda Stevens dribbled into the penalty area and pulled back a splendid cross for Robinson at the near post. The forward opened up his body and steered the ball into the net.

The game became ragged. Azpilicueta gave Abraham the chance for a hat-trick but Henderson made a superb save. Immediately United broke and McBurnie released Robinson, whose shot was tame. Ross Barkley had a chance at the other end but his effort from the edge of the area was comfortably saved.

Chelsea struggled. Jorginho was not imposing himself on the midfield – how they miss N’Golo Kante – and the home side could not control the pace of the game. Willian replaced Barkley but the visiting team began to dominate in search of an equaliser.

Kurt Zouma scored an own-goal to cost Chelsea victory (Reuters)

There was little coherence in Chelsea’s approach. Pulisic could not get on the ball and events bypassed Mason Mount. Chances came United’s way. Zouma had to be sharp to deny Robinson, whose near-post runs caused chaos, and Kepa Arrizabalaga needed to be quick to stop a deflected shot by Stevens. It was backs to the wall stuff by the end and when Robinson sent in a cross it was no surprise that Zouma turned it in under pressure from Lys Mousset. Lampard has a lot to think about. Things could become much more stormier at the Bridge.