Torrential conditions didn’t dampen Palace’s return to SE25 as a first Selhurst Park victory was firmly in the side's sight.
It didn't take Laura Kaminski's side long to pile on the pressure as they had their first chance in front of goal on the seventh minute.
Lexi Potter showed some magic as she fed a brilliant pass through the defence and into Sharpe but her shot was pushed around the post by Fran Stenson in goal.
The resulting corner kick was whipped deep into the area by Fliss Gibbons for Chloe Arthur to rise high inside the box but her header flew just wide.
Elise Hughes tried her luck in front of goal two minutes later as she looked to continue her impressive goalscoring form. The forward received the ball inside the final third and saw the goal was wide open before firing from distance but her effort soared marginally wide.
Palace continued to dominate the encounter and Sharpe came agonisingly close to netting the opener on the 24th minute as she cut back inside before whipping a shot towards goal but her strike crashed against the woodwork.
A goal line clearance denied Hayley Nolan the opening goal minutes later as another corner kick from Gibbons dropped for the defender inside the box but her poked effort was steered away.
Stenson kept out great efforts from Annabel Blanchard and Izzy Atkinson just before the break as she ensured the score was level at the interval.
The rain and Palace’s attack continued to pour in the second-half and Atkinson nearly forced the opener on the hour mark as her fierce cross was nearly diverted over the line by Molly Graham.
Substitutes Anna Filbey and Shauna Guyatt gave Palace a new lease of life in midfield as they ramped up their efforts and search for the opener.
Their patience and dominance eventually paid off on the 73rd minute as Sharpe safely put her side in the driving seat.
A ball over the top and into Elise Hughes’ feet caused carnage inside the box but her first shot was blocked by Stenson. The loose ball was collected by Sharpe and after seeing her first shot blocked she safely saw her second shot over the line.
Guyatt superbly won the ball back inside the final third five minutes from time before unleashing Araya Dennis down the right with a great pass. Dennis then picked out Hughes inside the box but her curling shot flew just wide.
A second goal wasn’t needed for Palace in the end as they remained firm to earn their first Selhurst win and clean sheet.
Palace: Lambourne (GK), Percival, Everett, Nolan, Gibbons, Arthur (Filbey, 61), Potter (Guyatt, 61), Blanchard, Sharpe, Atkinson (Dennis, 76), Hughes
Subs: Negri, Johnson, Reilly, Doran, Watson, Larkin
Sheffield United: Stenson (GK), R. Brown, Bourne, Graham, Newsham (Butler, 80), Hutton (Connolly-Jackson, 70), Barker, A. Brown (Kinzett, 80), Sigsworth (Hodson, 70), Rayner, Goodwin (Haywood, 70)
Subs: Davies, May, Wilcock, Muir
