Joao’s first career hat-trick including two more successful penalties had 3000 Albion fans singing about another trip to Wembley after their side reached the last 16 of the FA Cup.
The Brazilian converted two penalties – one in each half – and has now scored ten times from the spot this season, more than anyone in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
He also showed his quality in open play too, making the game safe midway through the second half with a sumptuous strike threaded inside the left-hand post from just outside the box. It was his 18th goal of the season and makes him Albion’s top scorer in a Premier League-era season, with power to add.
Albion had led 2-0 at one stage – Facundo Buonanotte opened the scoring with a sensational left-foot strike from 22 yards before Joao’s first success from the spot – but the Blades hit back to draw level at the break thanks to Gustavo Hamer and Will Osula.
Albion hit their stride early. Evan Ferguson had already seen a header ruled out for offside and a right-foot shot curl just wide when they took the lead with a spectacular 16th-minute strike by Buonanotte.
After some patient build-up in midfield Ferguson sprung the Argentinian 20 yards out. A feint made a yard of space and his left-foot drive from the edge of the D flew into the top corner, with Ivo Grbic helpless in the Blades’ goal.
The lead was doubled on 28 minutes. Again Albion worked it patiently before Joao turned on the left-hand side of the box and was hauled down by Ben Osborn. After a lengthy delay the Brazilian sent Grbic the wrong way from the spot.
It had needed both Jan Paul van Hecke and Igor to make important blocks to deny Cameron Archer and Rhys Norrington-Davies between the two goals but apart from that they had barely threatened until turning the game on its head at the end of the first half.
Bart Verbruggen did well to parry Osula’s driven ball in from the right but it went straight into Hamer’s path and the former Coventry man made no mistake from ten yards. Then, in the last of eight minutes of stoppage time, it was 2-2. Again the ball came in from the right by Jayden Bogle and Osula leapt to head in from close range. Both goals were given after lengthy VAR checks and suddenly we had a cup tie on our hands.
There was more drama seven minutes into the second half when Joao struck again from the spot. This time referee Gill spotted Bogle’s handball as he challenged Ferguson to Buonanotte’s cross and after VAR confirmed the decision the Brazilian made no mistake from 12 yards.
Auston Trusty made a timely interception to prevent Joao from tapping in Pervis Estupinan’s cross but the Blades weren’t finished and Igor denies Bogle with his second important block of the game before being replaced by Lewis Dunk with Ferguson making way for Danny Welbeck.
And Welbeck was involved in a patient build-up that led to Joao’s hat-trick goal midway through the second half. He fed the ball back to the edge of the box and despite being surrounded by defenders Joao had just enough space to take a touch and thread a right-foot shot from the D just inside the right-hand post.
The hosts couldn’t come back from two down a second time and Albion embellished their winning margin in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Welbeck broke down the right, shrugged off a defender and hammered his shot beyond Grbic and inside the far post.
There was still time for United’s James McAtee to hit the underside of the bar but by then Albion’s place in the fifth round had long since been confirmed.
Albion: Verbruggen, Webster, van Hecke, Igor (Dunk 62), Hinshelwood, Estupinan, Gross, Gilmour (Baleba 84), Joao, Buonanotte, Ferguson (Welbeck 62).
Subs: Steele, Milner, Moder, Baker-Boaitey.
Referee: Sunny Singh Gill
Attendance: 18931 (2829 Albion fans)