Heck delight as Blades sharpen push for top flight
PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM believes second-placed Sheffield United can “choke the life” out of their promotion rivals after they took another step closer to the Premier League.
The rampant Blades stayed 10 points ahead of third-placed Middlesbrough – who they host on Wednesday in a crunch clash – with a routine win over insipid Swansea.
First-half goals from midfield maestro Sander Berge and rugged defender Jack Robinson laid the platform before ex-Swans frontman Oli McBurnie came off the bench to bag a late third.
United remain under a transfer embargo and are desperately seeking a change of ownership.
But none of that off-field upheaval is distracting them from the task at hand.
They have not lost in 10 league games since early November and, with each win, belief grows that they are destined for the promised land.
Blades boss Heckingbottom said: “Our approach to the games hasn’t changed.
”We’ve got 16 left and we need to approach them all the same.
“Every one is big – Boro on Wednesday is huge – and what we have spoken about is that, the better we do, we can almost choke the life out of other teams.
“That’s what we want to do.”
Pressed on the club’s off-field issues, the manager said: “It’s irrelevant, totally separate.
“I could speak about umpteen reasons why it’s a problem but it’s only a problem if we let it be one.” Heckingbottom deserves huge credit for keeping his men focused.
The Blades led in the 21st minute when on-loan Manchester City midfielder James McAtee’s neat pass found Berge.
The Norway international struck from 20 yards and from there the home side did not look back.
Their second came on the stroke of half-time when Oliver Norwood’s free-kick rebounded off the crossbar and Robinson converted.
Substitute McBurnie tapped home on 89 minutes. Heckingbottom added: “When I named the team and Oli wasn’t starting, I could see how upset he was.
“It was his old team – but he needed to be fit and it was reassuring that he was.” Swansea boss Russell Martin said: “It’s been a tough day for us but Sheffield United are a team that will get promoted.
“We are playing a team who manage games better than anyone else in the league.”
SHEFFIELD UNITED: Foderingham 7; Ahmedhodzic 6, Egan 7, Robinson 8; Bogle 6 (Basham (90) 6), Berge 7 (Coulibaly (90) 6), Norwood 7, McAtee 6 (Osborn (71) 6), Lowe 6 (Fleck (90) 6); Ndiaye 6, Sharp 6 (McBurnie (72) 7)
SWANSEA: Fisher 7; Naughton 6, Cabango 7, Wood 6, Manning 6; Fulton 6 (Allen (88) 6), Grimes 7, Ntcham 6 (Cundle (64) 6); Cooper 6; Piroe 6, Cullen 6 (Whittaker (55) 6)
STAR MAN: Jack Robinson – Defended well, scored one before a post denied him a second. A complete, all-round performance.
REF: Matthew Donohue 5