While the newly promoted Blades were delighted with their first away points of the season, it was an altogether different story for City. Stuart Pearce's side lacked creativity and spark and their only cheer was that they maintained their unbeaten home record.
But apart from once chance which fell to striker Bernado Corradi, and which was superbly saved by Paddy Kenny, it was a lack lustre display from City.
Incredibly this was also the fifth goal-less draw in the Blades' last six visits to City which has proved a successful hunting ground in recent time.
City made three changes from the side which drew 1-1 at Everton, though were two enforced by injury. Goal-keeper Nicky Weaver and midfield player Stephen Ireland were ruled out through back and hamstring problems while teenager Ishmail Miller lost his starting spot. Joe Hart (19) was handed an unexpected Premiership debut following a £750,000 summer move from Shrewsbury while there were call ups for Hatem Trabelsi and Corradi.
The Blades played exactly the same side which had beaten Middlesbrough in their last game to record their first Premiership victory of the season.
In a desperately poor opening half, it was the visitors who came closest to taking the lead shortly before the break. Record signing Rob Hulse, a £2.2 million buy from Leeds, struck the crossbar in the 43rd minute with a spectacular overhead kick after Claude Davis headed on a long throw.
City rarely threatened the Blades goal though Corradi twice went close shooting narrowly over and heading just wide.
A Georgios Samaras brought the only save of the half from either keeper as his angled shot was turned away for a corner by Kenny.
Pearce made a half-time substitution and had a tactical re-shuffle to try and invigorate his side following a sorry showing in the opening period. Ishmael Miller replaced Stephen Jordan as Richards switched from right to left-back, Trabelsi moved from right midfield to right-back, Trevor Sinclair moved from left to right wing enabling Miller to slot in on the left.
City created the best chance of the game just short of the hour when Sinclair broke on the right and from his cross Corradi's close range header was brilliantly beaten out by Kenny with Samaras blazing the rebound high into the stand from six yards.
The Blades also had their moments as Keith Gillespie broke on the right and from his low centre Alan Quinn shot narrowly over on the run and just inside the box.
City made two further substitutions taking off Dietmar Hamann and Corradi replacing them with Claudio Reyna and Paul Dickov, their last two throws of the dice to try and break the deadlock.
The lively Miller came close to opening the scoring in the 73rd minute heading narrowly over from six yards following a free kick from Barton.
The Blades were denied what looked a certain goal by a superb last ditch tackle from Richards following a break by Hulse who slotted the ball to Michael Tonge who was denied just when he was about to take strike.
In the dying minutes Richards powered a header narrowly wide from Barton's free kick as the defender once again provide to be his side's most dangerous attacking weapon from set pieces.