Sheffield United teammate hails "incredible" Iliman Ndiaye after league drought ends in Reading win

United restored their seven-point cushion over their closest promotion rivals Middlesbrough with victory in Berkshire, bouncing back perfectly from their disappointing weekend defeat at Blackburn Rovers.

Ndiaye’s second-half strike was the difference, converting a cross from McBurnie from a couple of yards out before hobbling off with an injury later in the game.

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Boss Paul Heckingbottom later revealed his hopes that Ndiaye’s issue is just a dead leg, ahead of big upcoming games against Luton Town, Sunderland and the FA Cup quarter-final tie at home to Blackburn Rovers.

“I’m buzzing for Ili, he's been very good,” said McBurnie, after Ndiaye’s first league goal since January. “He hasn't scored as may as he'd have wanted lately so it's nice to swap the roles around and it's nice to give him one instead of him giving me them.

"Ili's excellent. I think he's been excellent for the last few games. It's just maybe not fell for him and he's been excellent today, and he deserved the goal.”

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United were not at their sparkling best at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, but a performance full of character and grit saw them seal what boss Heckingbottom admitted afterwards was a “big win”, ahead of this weekend’s meeting with another promotion-chasing side in Luton Town at Bramall Lane.

“It was important that we bounced back, after the poor result the other day,” McBurnie added. “It's good sometimes to have a Tuesday game after a Saturday result that's not so good, get straight back out there.

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"It wasn't our prettiest performance but we felt in control for most of the game and it was just about getting that breakthrough. It felt like one of those games where if we'd found it in the first half we'd have gone on to get a couple more. But three points is three points. They're good at home so we'll take the three points and get back up the road.”