Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield United: John Egan turns hero after threatening to be the villain

Second in the table and statistically the Championship’s best team on the road this term, the visitors looked a pale shadow of the squad which entered the New Year supposedly coasting towards promotion following a run of five straight victories.

Heckingbottom always warns this is too unpredictable a division to assume the race for the top-flight is already over. Now boasting a nine point lead over third place, United’s position in the rankings still looks comfortable. But their notoriously exacting manager departed west London hoping this display does not set the tone for 2023 - even though John Egan salvaged a draw at the death, redeeming himself in dramatic fashion after gift-wrapping Rangers’ opener.

As Heckingbottom fidgeted on the touchline, his demeanour betraying the dreadfully disjointed nature of United’s work, Currie watched this bizarre fixture unfold in front of him from the directors’ box.

Ilias Chair’s early strike, presented to him following an uncharacteristically poor piece of defending, seemed to have settled a contest United were never really in until Egan turned home in added time. There were times when Heckingbottom’s men, usually so purposeful and assured, appeared devoid of their trademark drive. Particularly with Iliman Ndiaye not announcing his arrival until the closing stages and James McAtee, described as the guy “in form” by United’s social media gurus initially left on the bench.

But they are nothing if not durable and, as Egan demonstrated during added time, determined.

The depth of United’s squad was the primary reason why they were able to plot a course through the injury crisis which threatened to derail their season and keep on winning games. On a night when both of their nearest challengers recorded positive results earlier in that afternoon, Heckingbottom again chose to utilise the options now at his disposal following the return of several key players from injury. John Egan, as expected, returned from suspension while Tommy Doyle and George Baldock also gained recalls. For the second match in a row, Reda Khadra was absent while Max Lowe and Oli McBurnie also failed to make the trip.

Heckingbottom’s tinkering has worked well in the past. And for most of the opening 10 minutes, it appeared as if the same would happen again. Then a rare mistake from Egan presented Chair with the chance to open the scoring. He did, albeit with a large helping hand from the wicked deflection which wrong footed Wes Foderingham.

Born in Belgium but married to Morocco, Chair caused problems throughout on his first full outing since returning from the World Cup. The same went for Chris Willock, who intercepted Egan’s slack delivery which had been intended for Oliver Norwood.

United’s resident magician, Ndiaye, found it tougher to make an impression than his fellow African. The Senegal international, whose daring, skill and vision makes him an irresistible proposition, showed flashes of the brilliance which captured the imagination in Qatar. But with United’s rhythm disappearing following Chair’s intervention, he remained on the periphery until the closing stages before Egan’s shot flew in off an opponent.

Queens Park Rangers: Dieng, Kakay, Dunne, Dickie, Willock (Amos 74), Dykes, Chair, Roberts Adomah 78), Field, Paal, Iroegbunam. Not used: Mahoney, Richards, Masterson, Shodipo, Armstrong.

Sheffield United: Foderingham, Baldock (Jebbison 70), Stevens, Ahmedhodzic (Bogle 83), Egan, Clark (Robinson 46), Norwood, Doyle (McAtee 59), Berge, Sharp, Ndiaye. Not used: Davies, Basham, Brooks.

Referee: Josh Smith (Cambridgeshire).

Attendance: 14,151.