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BIRMINGHAM. — After three months of lockdown, death and strife the English Premiership returned last night and, something trivial — a disallowed goal in a goalless draw — somehow became the talking point.

Of course, the key detail here was not trivial in a football sense and, actually, there is no argument about whether it should have stood – the ball definitely crossed the line, the problem arose because the reputedly infallible goalline technology failed.

Given the strangeness of this match’s context, it was as fittingly an odd development as it was an embarrassment the Premier League should have avoided in possibly its most anticipated fixture of all time.

The controversial moment came just before half-time, in a match of impressively high intensity given the context and, if it had been permitted, it would have boosted Sheffield United’s European qualification aims and plunged Aston Villa deeper into relegation trouble.

Ollie Norwood fizzed an in-swinging free-kick over from the left wing and the home goalkeeper, Orjan Nyland, stretched to catch it but his momentum, and a collision with a defender, took him back peddling over the line and crashing into the side netting.

He took the ball with him.

Sheffield United players celebrated what they believed to be an obvious goal.

But, the referee, Michael Oliver, waved play on, dismissing protests by pointing to his watch to indicate it had not buzzed to confirm all of the ball had crossed the line.

Moments later the referee blew for an infringement against Villa — and that brought an end to the passage of play, which is why, according to the Premier League, the decision was not allowed to be referred to VAR.

The exasperation was plain on the faces of the Blades staff watching on a monitor on the sidelines.

Until that point the game, in which Zimbabwean international Marvelous Nakamba had to wait for the 76th minute for his introduction, had been tight and entertaining.

Of course it was not the same as before.

The first thing you noticed was what was missing — this was the Premier League Unplugged, no giddy throngs enlivened the stands before kick-off, no chanters or hawkers or hoopla.

Just a drib-drab of club staffers and journalists, all waiting for the emergence of two squads of players who hoped to perform like superstars in a setting half-way between a Sunday League wilderness and a top-end film studio.

By the time the players emerged for their warm-ups, the thunder and rain had subsided and the sun pierced the clouds to spread a little light.

Which, ultimately, is also what the football was here to do.

The Black Lives Matter movement had a direct influence on the day and players displayed the slogan on the back of their shirts where their names would usually be (on the front was a badge of a blue heart with the letters NHS inside).

They also knelt to show their support.

Chris Wilder saw his continuity plans sabotaged by injuries to Jack O’Connell and John Fleck.

John McGinn met a dangerous free-kick in the 17th minute with a powerful header but Dean Henderson saved without fuss. As the first half progressed Sheffield United’s well calibrated machine began to push back the hosts.

The pressure from the visitors grew but penetration was lacking and, in a happy development, Villa did not look like self-destructing.

And then Nyland reeled backwards over his line with the ball.

But Villa got away with it.

Both sides pursued victory in the second half but Villa were more convincing, except in their finishing.

Dean Henderson made two fine saves to foil Davis and then McGinn.

The closest the Blades came was from a firm header by Oli McBurnie – The Guardian/Sports Reporter.