Sheffield United: Striker could be set for a change of role to get him firing again

Most of what made him one of the most feared centre-forwards in the Championship to be exact.

Encouraged to roam, break the lines and run at defenders during his final season at Swansea City - which delivered 24 goals in 42 appearances - the 25-year-old was transformed into a targetman soon after completing a £20m move to Bramall Lane.

You could understand why United took that decision. New to the Premier League and unable to afford the type of target man he calculated they required to avoid becoming a soft touch, Paul Heckingbottom’s predecessor Chris Wilder asked McBurnie to perform the role.

And unselfishly he did. Initially to pretty good effect, netting crucial strikes against the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and Chelsea as United went on to finish ninth in the top-flight - entitling themselves to another round of top-flight solidarity handouts and also boosting their parachute payments when they were eventually relegated nine months later.

MORE: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/why-we-are-about-to-see-the-real-oli-mcburnie-3565155

Now, as they regather momentum following Heckingbottom’s appointment, United appear set to repay McBurnie’s loyalty. Recalled to the starting eleven last weekend, after recovering from the health issues which have limited his involvement this term, the Scotland international was the focal point of their attack at Huddersfield Town and could be handed similar freedom to express himself once again when Hull City visit Bramall Lane tomorrow. A City side which, despite arriving in South Yorkshire on the back of a third straight defeat, will be fired up by the presence of former United youngsters Regan Slater and Tyler Smith in their squad.

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Asked if he planned to change McBurnie’s job description between now and the end of the campaign, encouraging him to concentrate more on his own game than helping others, Heckingbottom told The Star: “Every player has got to be a team player. You win as a team and you draw and lose as a team.

“We all work together but, to see Oli leading the line and getting opportunities, no one is more pleased than me.

“I’ve told him, if we don’t get him there, fully up to speed playing as everyone knows he can, then it won’t be through our lack of effort as a staff or a group. It won’t be through anything we’ve not done.”

MORE: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/james-shield-sheffield-uniteds-relegation-was-a-blow-but-now-oli-mcburnie-can-get-back-to-doing-what-he-does-best-3343861

Although that sounded like an ultimatum - Heckingbottom telling McBurnie that there can be no more excuses if the goals don’t begin to flow - another interpretation could be that United’s coaching department have seen enough in him during training to convince themselves it is worth investing time and effort into bringing his game up to speed.

McBurnie missed a couple of good openings at the John Smith’s Stadium, as a goalless draw lifted United to eighth in the table. But after being forced to isolate because of a close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 and then being diagnosed with tonsillitis after contracting the coronavirus himself, McBurnie should be cut the same type of slack as Morgan Gibbs-White - who has also lacked sharpness since returning from a lengthy lay-off.

“Standards and how fit he needs to be, that’s what I’m talking about,” Heckingbottom said. “We’ll give all of the players, Oli included, everything they need.”