Sheffield United's encouraging traits and unsung heroes en route to a hugely significant win

A match settled by James McAtee’s sixth goal for the club taught us plenty about the visitors’ strengths and also the qualities their manager hopes will serve them well over the next month as they hope to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

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McAtee is maturing: On-loan from Manchester City, the midfielder looked exactly what he was at the beginning of the season - supremely gifted, technically strong but not robust enough for the demands of the senior game. Over the course of the campaign, things have changed. McAtee will never be physically imposing. But he is now strong enough, in both body and mind, to ignore any physical intimidation from opponents and cause them headaches with his skill.

Tactically, the 20-year-old is coming on a bundle too as his ability to grasp the strategic changes United made during the interval demonstrated. Asked to operate in a deeper lying role, having initially been tasked with supporting Oli McBurnie and Iliman Ndiaye, McAtee timed his arrival in the box to perfection before producing the finish which settled the contest.

One thing United can make more of: Twice United enjoyed wonderful opportunities from set pieces. On both occasions they failed to take them, although Anel Ahmedhodzic was unfortunate to see his header bounce back off the woodwork. Earlier, Sander Berge nodded the ball wide after meeting a corner. He should have celebrated his 100th outing for the club with a goal but got his angles wrong.

Both players are towering presences in the penalty area. Given the quality of the deliveries United can produce, they should be converting more of these chances.

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Composure will be key: Given the slender margins and high stakes United looked remarkably cool and focused during the closing stages. There was precious little fuss or drama. All of the players they brought on boast a wealth of experience.

The coaching staff’s thinking was clear too. A tweak of formation during the interval, which saw McAtee drop into the pocket rather than push up alongside the forwards, worked wonders.

The same goes for discipline: City’s Max Aarons is a wind-up merchant. United’s George Baldock enjoys confrontation on the pitch. So when the pair came together in the first-half, it was inevitable fireworks would ensue. Both were booked following a wrestling match but Baldock kept his cool, and professionalism, from there on in. Which was good to see because United don’t want any red cards at this stage.

It’s not always forwards who win games: Ndiaye worked his socks off, despite having only just returned from international duty with Senegal. So did McBurnie. McAtee, of course, netted the game’s only goal.

But United’s defence was exceptional. City possess plenty of dangerous attacking players. They saw lots of the ball but Wes Foderingham had little to do other than block a cross-cum-shot from Marquinhos.

Baldock and Max Lowe performed well at wing-back. Centre-halves John Egan, Ahmedhodzic and Jack Robinson did even better as a unit.

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