Sheffield United: People missed the greatest thing about Iliman Ndiaye's latest brilliant display

But what impressed Paul Heckingbottom the most about Iliman Ndiaye’s memorable assist during yesterday’s victory over Coventry City wasn’t the sight of him darting upfield before bamboozling two defenders and leaving another on his backside as he created the first of three Sheffield United goals. Instead, after insisting the Senegal international’s ability on the ball must be combined with the right work ethic off it, Heckingbottom later identified Ndiaye’s tactical acumen as the most impressive aspect of his latest performance.

“I thought Iliman was excellent yet again,” the United manager told The Star. “Excellent all game in fact.The best thing he did though, because we all know what he’s capable of, was getting into exactly the right area when he took possession. That made everything else, the really eye-catching stuff, possible.”

Ndiaye enters Thursday’s game against Blackpool having scored nine goals himself for United this season and created five more. His surge upfield, after collecting the ball from a Wes Foderingham clearance before finding James McAtee with a perfectly weighted pass, was the latest addition to what is fast become a bumper catalogue of magical moments during a campaign which also saw him impress at the World Cup in Qatar.

Heckingbottom, who oversaw the early part of Ndiaye’s career in South Yorkshire following his arrival from Boreham Wood, has stated on numerous occasions that the 22-year-old’s skill set means he is destined for the highest level - potentially with United, who head to Bloomfield Road second in the Championship table. But proving himself to be a hard task master, Heckingbottom has also made a habit of picking apart the faults in Ndiaye’s game. After watching him start United’s recent game against Huddersfield Town, less than a week after returning from Qatar, the club’s former under-23’s coach criticised Ndiaye for his contribution when out of possession. It was a decision, Heckingbottom later admitted, born out of his desire to see the 22-year-old make the most of his talents rather than become known as a luxury player.

“There has to be an end product, otherwise it’s just a trick that looks nice,” Heckingbottom said earlier this term. “That’s one area where Ili has really come on, he gets it and he’s doing it. But he can also get even better at it. And knowing him as I do, he will.”

United’s result against City, which saw Ciaran Clark and Tommy Doyle also hit the target before Viktor Gyokeres netted a consolation for Mark Robins’ men, could, if combined with a win in Lancashire, turn out to be pivotal in the battle for automatic promotion from the Championship. Events elsewhere means second-placed United travel to the North-West eight points clear of Blackburn Rovers in third.

“Macca did brilliant to track Ili and show that desire to get up with him,” Heckingbottom said. “Then, the pass to him was inch perfect and that set us on our way. But the greatest thing, genuinely, was seeing how hard he (Ndiaye) is prepared to work without the ball because everything stems from that.”