David McGoldrick issues challenge to Sheffield United teammates as they look to continue recent resurgence

Three victories in the Blades’ last three matches have sent Paul Heckingbottom’s men into the top half of the league, and they are now only five points off the play-offs with the season not yet at its halfway point.

Saturday’s 3-2 win at Cardiff was amongst their most impressive this season, coming from behind and withstanding a late City fightback to give Heckingbottom his second win in two games since succeeding Slavisa Jokanović at the helm last month.

And McGoldrick, who netted the Blades’ third goal in south Wales, said: “We came here wanting the win. We got two wins before this and came here wanting to make it three, because we want to pick up a little bit of form.

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“We know around December and January it's important to put runs together if you're going to do anything in the season. So we take it.

“It was a good victory, to come back from 1-0 down and show some character and spirit. We're delighted in there.”

United could have been 2-0 up early on, with skipper Billy Sharp twice being denied by Alex Smithies with the type of chance you would normally back him to score, but were 1-0 down at the break before a second-half red card for Sean Morrison tilted the contest in the Blades’ favour as Morgan Gibbs-White and Sharp put them ahead.

“It was crazy,” McGoldrick admitted.

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“We started well and should have been a couple of goals up, then they go and score from a set-piece and we're disappointed to go in 1-0 down at half time.

“But we said we can still win this game, then the sending-off went in our favour. We moved the ball quite well against 10 men before a bit of brilliance from Gibbo for the first goal. And two assists as well. A great day.”

The Blades return to action next Monday evening against Queens Park Rangers, who are currently fifth, at Bramall Lane.

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