Sheffield United starlet Iliman Ndiaye receives vote of confidence from manager ahead of Fulham clash

The mercurial youngster made his first-team breakthrough earlier this season after a contract impasse ended with him signing a deal that ties him to Bramall Lane until 2024.

But after a string of impressive displays under Slavisa Jokanović, Ndiaye has not featured for the Blades’ first-team since being substituted at half-time in their goalless draw at home to Coventry City in November.

He turned out for the Blades’ U23 side after Heckingbottom was unveiled as Jokanović’s successor, with the former Barnsley and Leeds United chief revealing that Ndiaye’s omission from the side that faced Cardiff City in United’s last game was tactical.

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That decision may be reconsidered when Heckingbottom and his coaching staff finalise the Blades party that will travel to London to face the league leaders, for what will be the Blades’ first game in over a fortnight after their scheduled home clash with Queens Park Rangers was postponed.

“He knows what we think of him and everyone is now seeing that he is a player,” Heckingbottom, who gave Ndiaye his first-team debut while the Blades were still in the Premier League when he took interim charge last season, said.

“That step from potential and from big young talent to nailing down a first-team spot, playing every week and being reliable and producing every week, is a difficult one.

“But we believe in him and believe he can do it, without a doubt. I look forward to working with him again. I stepped away for a bit and am now back working with him, which is a good thing in my eyes.”

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Ndiaye was a notable absentee from the United U23s side which lost 2-0 to Coventry City this afternoon, with no first-team players included despite their lack of match action in recent weeks.

That decision may have been taken as part of enhanced protocol guidance from the EFL to slow the spread of Covid-19, after the game against QPR was postponed because of a number of positive cases in the visitors’ camp.

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