Scott Hogan and Jack O’Connell netted a goal in each half as Sheffield United comfortably beat the Blues 2-0 at Bramall Lane to all but secure their return to the Premier League after a 12-year hiatus. Hogan turned home the opener on 24 and O’Connell added the second in the 71st minute.
Town boss Paul Lambert made four changes with the Blues switching to a three-man backline - matching home side’s system - with Cole Skuse a surprise starter in between skipper Luke Chambers and Toto Nsiala.
Myles Kenlock was back in the side at left wing-back with Callum Elder dropping to the bench, while James Bree was on the right.
In midfield, Teddy Bishop joined Flynn Downes and Alan Judge with Trevoh Chalobah and Andre Dozzell among the subs.
Up front, Kayden Jackson came into the team, with Gwion Edwards missing from the XI that started against Swansea, alongside Will Keane.
Town were under the cosh from the off at a noisy, buoyant and expectant Bramall Lane with McGoldrick not too far away from getting his toe to a Basham cross from the right in only the third minute. Soon after, another ball in from the right evaded everyone in the penalty area.
The early pressure briefly subsided as Keane suffered what looked to be a recurrence of his hamstring injury in the eighth minute and, Town having no striker on the bench, was replaced by Chalobah, who came into the midfield with Judge moving to a free role off Jackson.
But the Blades dominance continued once the game restarted and in the 12th minute McGoldrick got away from Chambers on the Town right but Nsiala cut out his low cross towards Hogan. The former Blues frontman might well have taken the chance on himself.
The Blues finally began to see something of the ball as the quarter of an hour mark was reached and in the 16th minute Downes shot wide from distance.
Town began to become more confident in possession and in the 23rd minute Bishop broke into the area before hitting a shot which was blocked out for a throw.
But two minutes later, the Blades took the lead. Jack O’Connell was fed in on the left, leaving Bishop in his wake, crossed low and Hogan touched the ball across Dean Gerken at the near post and into the net.
Having got their noses in front the home side resumed their domination but didn’t seriously threaten again until the 33rd minute when skipper Ollie Norwood’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected over.
A minute later McGoldrick almost created a second for the Blades with a sublime pass which fed George Baldock in on goal as he broke into the area on the right but the former MK Dons man was crowded out and the Blues eventually forced the ball away from goal.
Blades attacks continued to come in waves with the Blues digging deep defensively to prevent the home side from adding to their lead, while play rarely moved to the other end of the field where Dean Henderson in goal was a virtual spectator.
On 40 Norwood scuffed an effort wide from the edge of the box after McGoldrick had nodded back a ball into the area.
Chalobah headed tamely wide for Town following a Judge freekick on the right in the 43rd minute but play quickly returned to the other end of the field. In two minutes of injury time Judge was booked for a foul.
The home side were applauded off at the break after a dominant display which deserved more than their single goal lead.
The distance between the teams in league position terms was evident throughout the half with the Blues never seriously threatening, only briefly able to pass the ball around and spending much of the period desperately hanging on at the back against a slick and confident home side.
The Blades went close to doubling their lead three minutes after the break, Norwood slamming a freekick from a very tight angle on the left against the far post.
Town continued to struggle to keep the ball out of their own half of the field and on 57 half of Bramall Lane thought McGoldrick had headed his side’s second of the afternoon from a Norwood cross from the right but the ball flew the wrong side of the post and nestled in the side-netting.
A minute later, Gerken saved from Hogan, then blocked the follow-up but with the flag having been raised.
On 62 Blades club captain and 24-goal top scorer Billy Sharp - a Town target in January 2015 and on a number of other occasions - took over from Hogan.
Sharp almost made an immediate impact after being sent away towards the penalty area as the Blades counter-attacked following a rare Blues foray forward. However, Skuse read the situation and got across to take the ball away from the Blades skipper.
Town were left without any out-and-out strikers on the field in the 68th minute when Jackson was replaced by Dozzell.
A minute later, defender John Egan should have added to the Blades’ lead but headed Norwood’s corner over the bar when it seemed easier to hit the target.
However, the home fans wouldn’t have to wait too long for the security of that second goal.
In the 71st minute Fleck sent over a corner and O’Connell, the man who supplied the first goal, headed home to send Bramall Lane into raptures, fans knowing that promotion to the Premier League was all but confirmed.
On 78 McGoldrick was replaced to a standing ovation from the home support but also the Town travelling fans. Gary Madine took over, the in the 85th minute, with the game effectively over to all intents and purposes, John Lundstram replaced Mark Duffy for the home team, whose fans had already begun their post-match celebrations.
As the clock ticked over to 89 Judge smashed Town’s first shot on target from 35 yards but Henderson helped it over the bar and the resultant corner came to nothing.
Two minutes of injury time were seen out without incident before referee Tim Robinson’s whistle triggered the biggest cheer of the afternoon, Blades fans knowing that barring ludicrous scorelines in the final games they will be playing Premier League football for the first time since 2006/07.
A handful of fans ran on the pitch to boos from their fellow supporters before the home players celebrated in a huddle on the pitch.
Meanwhile, the Town players trooped off following yet another defeat having been thoroughly outclassed by a hugely impressive Blades side.
The Blues were never able to impose themselves on the match and but for some desperate defending and occasionally less than clinical finishing would have been beaten more comprehensively.
Town’s nightmare 2018/19 campaign will finally end next Sunday when they host Leeds at Portman Road in a game which following tonight’s match will be a dead rubber with the Whites now effectively out of the running for the top two given their goal difference.
Sheffield United: Henderson, Basham, Egan, O’Connell, Baldock, Norwood (c), Fleck, Stevens, Duffy (Lundstram 85), McGoldrick (Madine 77), Hogan (Sharp 63). Unused: Dowell, Madine, Stearman, Moore, Cranie.
Town: Gerken, Bree, Chambers (c), Nsiala, Kenlock, Skuse, Bishop, Downes, Judge, Keane (Chalobah 8), Jackson (Dozzell 68). Unused: Elder, Emmanuel, Bialkowski, El Mizouni, Ndaba. Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex). Att: 30,140 (Town: 914).