Iliman Ndiaye backed to rediscover Sheffield United goal touch ahead of Millwall clash

The 22-year-old scored nine goals in the first half of the season to seal his place in Senegal’s World Cup squad, but has found the net only once in 15 games since returning from Qatar.

One of the most talented players in the second-tier, Ndiaye has been singled out for extra attention by opposition defences who have marked him as United’s dangerman in recent weeks and months and was guilty of squandering two golden one-on-one chances in their 3-1 defeat to promotion rivals Middlesbrough on Wednesday evening.

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And, speaking ahead of this weekend’s trip to The Den to face Millwall, boss Paul Heckingbottom said of Ndiaye: “No, listen. His games have been good, it’s just the goals have dried up for him.

“But look back at the opportunities he gets, where he is and how he gets them. It’s only a matter of time before they drop.

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“You can watch back the Boro game and I know that, when we look at the chances or the expected goals or whatever people go on about, we’ll be wondering why we’ve not come out with something.”

United did indeed finish the game against Boro with a higher expected goals rating and twice as many shots on target, 10 to the visitors’ five. But goals from Chuba Akpom and Cameron Archer (2), after Oli McBurnie had headed United ahead, condemned the Blades to a first defeat in 14 games.

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