A HECK OF A RESURGENCE

Blades on mettle to reach play-offs

SHEFFIELD UNITED 4 FULHAM 0

ENDA STEVENS has set his sights on “three cup finals” as Sheffield United chase an immediate but unlikely Premier League return.

The left-back scored his first league goal of the season as Paul Heckingbottom’s men destroyed champions Fulham to confirm their play-off spot in style.

A two-legged semi-final against Nottingham Forest now awaits, with the winners facing Huddersfield or Luton at Wembley on May 29.

The Blades’ resurgence under Heckingbottom, right, has seen them rise from 16th in November, when Slavisa Jokanovic was axed, to within touching distance of the promised land.

They have lost only once at home under Heckingbottom and Stevens said: “It’s definitely been a big turnaround under Hecky and not a lot of people would have thought it possible earlier in the season.

“He doesn’t want to rest on his laurels – he’s always pushing us and gives us that belief and confidence that we can do it. It’s potentially three cup finals now but we’ll look to the first leg at home to Forest on Saturday, first and foremost. ”

United raced into a 3-0 interval lead in front of a near-capacity 30,813 crowd. Morgan GibbsWhite headed home the opener and Iliman Ndiaye rifled in a second, before setting up Sander Berge for a third. Shortly after the restart Berge’s pass found Stevens and he fired home. Stevens said: “I wasn’t really expecting Sander to pass it – I was just ball-watching.

“The atmosphere was electric and even at the start of the game I had goosebumps. We’ll need the fans on Saturday to give us a massive push.”