Bangladesh midfielder Hamza Choudhury came off the bench in the closing stages but could not prevent Sheffield United from suffering a dramatic 2–1 defeat away at Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, a result that further dents their push for automatic promotion as the top two teams in the EFL Championship.

The encounter at Home Park brought together two sides with contrasting ambitions -- Sheffield chasing a return to the Premier League, and Plymouth battling to avoid relegation in the second-tier competition.

With pressure mounting after consecutive defeats, Blades manager Chris Wilder made five changes to his starting eleven, naming Hamza -- on loan from Leicester City -- among the substitutes.

The 26-year-old, who recently made his international debut for Bangladesh in the AFC Cup qualifiers against India in Shillong, had been a regular starter in recent weeks. However, Wilder opted for rotation at Home Park, and Hamza was introduced only in the 80th minute.

By then, Sheffield had held the lead for much of the game, courtesy of right-winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi netting home in the 42nd minute. The visitors, however, unravelled late on, with Plymouth launching a spirited comeback in front of their home fans.

Midfielder Ryan Wardie drew Plymouth level in the 81st minute, just a minute after Hamza's introduction. Then, in the 88th minute, striker Muhamed Tijani completed the turnaround.

The defeat leaves Sheffield on 76 points from 42 matches, five points behind joint-leaders Leeds United and Burnley. With just four matches remaining, the Blades now face a stern battle to secure a top-two finish.

Sheffield United starting XI: Cooper, Hamer, O'Hare, Rak-Sakyi, Burrows, Ahmedhodžić, Clarke, Robinson, Souza, Cannon, Peck.

Substitutes: A. Davies, McCallum, Holding, Brewster, Moore, Brereton Diaz, Campbell, Hamza Choudhury, Seriki.