JOSÉ MOURINHO had best prepare himself to play second fiddle for a couple of matches next season as the Barclays Premiership was left in little doubt last night over what to expect with the advent of Sheffield United.

Neil Warnock, the bellicose manager of the freshly promoted Yorkshire club, was ordered to the stands by Graham Poll, an old adversary, and only went down the tunnel after jostling with police.

Warnock became embroiled in an agitated exchange with Kevin Blackwell, who used to be his assistant at Bramall Lane and is now in charge of Leeds United, after a bad challenge by Gary Kelly on Craig Short, the Sheffield United defender, shortly before half-time in the match that was supposed to double up as the veteran manager’s promotion party.

Poll was called over to the touchline and upon advice from Paul Robinson, the fourth official, sent Warnock from the dugout. The manager, incredulous, stabbed a finger in the direction of Robinson and Blackwell, with whom he has been on frosty terms since his former partner walked out to join Leeds three years ago.

That was the year when Warnock notoriously fell out with Poll after the Hertfordshire official’s alleged role in Arsenal’s winning goal in the FA Cup semi-final, when Fredrik Ljungberg ran through to score despite two Sheffield players lying injured, one of whom had collided with the referee.

“Graham Poll is an Arsenal fan,” the Bramall Lane faithful sang last night as celebrations over their team’s promotion from the Coca-Cola Championship, secured last weekend, were given an unexpected addition of adrenalin.

Warnock is still awaiting a personal hearing for his second FA charge of the season, after he was accused of misconduct for offering a two-fingered salute to Nigel Worthington, the Norwich City manager, after their match last month. Poll is bound to mention this latest misdemeanour in today’s report, so Warnock could yet start his first season in the Premiership in the stands courtesy of a touchline ban.

“I’m very disappointed to have been sent off and I don’t think it was warranted,” Warnock said. “I made a comment to Kevin Blackwell about one of his player’s tackles. I just think it’s a vendetta from this particular fourth official. Some of the comments directed at him by a member of Kevin’s staff were far worse.

“If it had been Graham Poll on the touchline, this wouldn’t have happened. I was with Kevin for 16 years — it’ll have been water off a duck’s back to him. I just thought the fourth official totally overreacted.”

Robinson was the fourth official in Reading’s 1-1 draw at Bramall Lane in February when Warnock had been up in arms over a penalty award. “It’s a shame because this will take away from a fabulous atmosphere,” Warnock said.

It was not that this derby lacked passion in itself. Kelly could easily have been sent off for three scything challenges either side of David Healy equalising Eirik Bakke’s own goal.

Leeds, of course, still have everything to hope for, their place in the play-offs secure despite a frail run, without a win in eight matches. They went behind after ten minutes when Bakke headed David Unsworth’s corner into his own net in spectacular fashion.

Healy equalised four minutes before the interval, cutting inside on to his left foot and curling a shot home from the edge of the penalty area.

When Warnock and Blackwell reopened communications after Kelly’s tackle on Short and Poll ordered Warnock to the stands, the manager did not go quietly. You could only pity the policeman afforded the unenviable task of escorting him down the tunnel. Love him or loathe him next season, the Premiership will not be able to ignore Neil Warnock.

SHEFFIELD UNITED (4-2-3-1): P Kenny — D Geary, C Short, C Lucketti, D Unsworth — N Montgomery, P Jagielka — S Kabba (sub: B Dyer, 82min), M Tonge, D Webber (sub: P Ifill, 79) — A Akinbiyi. Substitutes not used: C Morgan, N Shipperley, C Armstrong.

LEEDS UNITED (4-3-2-1): N Sullivan — G Kelly, P Butler, M Kilgallon, S Crainey — E Bakke (sub: D Pugh, 80), S Derry, L Miller — J Douglas, D Healy (sub: I Moore, 79) — R Hulse. Substitutes not used: I Bennett, J Beckford, D Graham. Booked: Crainey, Kelly, Derry.

Referee: G Poll.