Sheffield United 3-0 Blackburn Rovers: Iliman Ndiaye scores twice in Blades win

Substitute Iliman Ndiaye scored twice as Sheffield United claimed an impressive 3-0 victory over Blackburn that lifted them to the top of the Sky Bet Championship.

Ndiaye's brace came after Oliver Norwood had struck the opening goal.

With it being the Blades' third game in six days, United boss Paul Heckingbottom made several changes to his starting line-up.

Oli McBurnie and Reda Khadra formed a new-look strike partnership, with John Fleck returning in midfield.

Ndiaye, Rhian Brewster and James McAtee were the players to make way as the trio featured among the substitutes.

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For the visitors, Tayo Edun was handed his first start of the season and Sam Gallagher was recalled to the starting line-up.

Anel Ahmedhodzic went close to giving the home side an early lead, forcing a save from Thomas Kaminski with a header following a corner.

McBurnie then put a close-range header wide and the United striker had another opportunity to score moments later.

With Kaminski off his line, Ash Phillips made a vital block to keep out McBurnie's goal-bound shot after getting on the end of Fleck's pull back.

McBurnie also put a header off-target before United took the lead.

The goal came in the 31st minute when Norwood sent a curling free-kick over the defensive wall, leaving Kaminski rooted to the spot as the ball nestled in the right-hand side of his net.

Norwood soon tried another effort, firing a dipping shot from range which just cleared the bar.

Early in the second half, Lewis Travis had Blackburn's first effort of note with a shot which swerved away from Wes Foderingham's left-hand post.

McBurnie looked set to end his lengthy goal drought when he received the ball six yards out following John Egan's knock-down, but he was denied by Kaminski's outstretched leg.

The keeper thwarted McBurnie again moments later with a near-post save.

Ndiaye made it 2-0 after 73 minutes when he diverted Sander Berge's shot past Kaminski.

Ndiaye was on target again six minutes later with a superb individual goal, running from the centre circle and holding off a couple of challenges before finding the net with a shot which went just inside Kaminski's right-hand post.

Chris Basham headed over and Brewster put a low shot from distance straight at Kaminski in the closing stages.

Brewster also had a chance in time added on after finding himself through on goal, forcing Kaminski to save with his legs.

It was a dominant display from United, who posed a strong attacking threat and were never seriously tested by a Blackburn side who had won three of their opening four games of the season but have now suffered back-to-back defeats.

What the managers said...

Sheffield United's Paul Heckingbottom: "[McBurnie ]was excellent. From our point of view, he was involved in all the good things we did. He created chances as well as being on the end of chances and to get that many in a game just shows the hard work that everybody has been doing with him.

"I thought from start to finish we were excellent. We had a purpose about us with the ball and tried to move it quick and be positive. And aggression without the ball, to try and win it back and make it difficult for Blackburn as well. I think that type of performance would have given anyone a game. We just try and deliver that. We know we're not going to every week, but we'll try and do it. In 40 games' time, if we're top of the league, I'll be delighted."

Blackburn's Jon Dahl Tomasson: "We knew when we came here that it was going to be tough. Sheffield United have an excellent squad and a lot of quality players. It's difficult to come here, so we knew it was going to be a challenge. I think the squad looked a bit stretched, to be honest. It was a well-deserved victory - they were better than us.

"We had a spell in the second half where I think we were in the game, especially in the first 25 minutes after the half-time. I think you can see that we are playing a lot of games at the moment and that the squad is looking a bit stretched. I think it could be good to boost the dressing room a little bit with a couple of players. We lost more than eight players and only three players came in so far."

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