Sheffield United 4-0 Reading: Blades thrash Royals to leapfrog them at the top

Sheffield United beat Reading 4-0 with an impressive display to replace their opponents at the top of the Sky Bet Championship table.

Anel Ahmedhodzic scored twice with Oli McBurnie and Iliman Ndiaye also finding the net to give United a resounding victory which maintains their 100 per cent home record so far this season.

United boss Paul Heckingbottom handed Manchester City loanee Tommy Doyle his first start for the club. There was a return to the starting line-up for Ahmedhodzic, who replaced Chris Basham, with James McAtee named among the substitutes.

For Reading, Junior Hoilett returned to the starting line-up with Tyrese Fornah dropping down to the bench. That was the only change to the side that beat Millwall on Saturday.

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The home side applied some early pressure and Ollie Norwood put a free-kick just over.

McBurnie found the net in the 11th minute, getting ahead of his marker to plant a near-post header beyond Joe Lumley from Max Lowe's cross.

McBurnie, who ended his lengthy goal drought in last Friday's game at Luton, was in the thick of the action again when he saw his deflected shot saved by Lumley.

Doyle then tried an effort from distance which was comfortably saved by Lumley.

After Reading's Tom Ince shot wide, Ndiaye had a good chance, side-footing just wide of Lumley's right-hand post after being put through on goal.

Ahmedhodzic made it 2-0 moments after half-time when he met Doyle's corner with a volley.

Ndiaye added a third just after the hour mark, receiving the ball from Sander Berge before cutting inside and sending a low shot past Lumley.

Heckingbottom made attacking changes with Reda Khadra and Rhian Brewster replacing Ndiaye and McBurnie.

United continued to put the visitors under pressure. Doyle lifted the ball over from 12 yards after connecting with Norwood's low cross and Basham's firm downward header forced a good save from Lumley moments after coming on as a substitute.

The fourth goal of the evening came when a cross from Norwood was met by a header from Ahmedhodzic, nine minutes from time, just outside the six-yard box.

What the managers said...

Sheffield United's Paul Heckingbottom: "That's the type of performance you want. From start to finish, it was pretty dominant, so I was pleased. It was good, it was strong. We've got more missing and I want more options. It was great to take Iliman and Oli off when they started flagging a little bit and inject energy with Reda (Khadra) and Rhian (Brewster). It was good, but we'll be even better when we get all the other boys back.

"I was just happy with the (opening) goal. From his (McBurnie's) point of view, you're just looking to get across the defender and a near-post header shows the hunger and the goalscorer in him. The quality of the goal was really good from our point of view. It was good for him and good for the team and really put us on the front foot.

"He had such a bad run of luck last year with how he got Covid and how he suffered with that, with the illness and weight-loss and everything after that. He came back and broke his foot. It's him seeing how good he can be, him seeing how important he is for us and him seeing how many goals he could score. Him thinking about it will only drive him on."

Reading's Paul Ince: "We didn't deserve to win the game. We looked tired. The Millwall game took a lot out of
us. It was tough - they're a good side. I'm still very pleased and proud of my players. To pick up nine points out of 12 is not a bad return. We just have to now go again on Sunday, against Stoke. These are a very good side. When you take off a £20m striker and replace him with another one. That's where we want to be, I think, as a club in two years' time.

"Hecky's got a very good side and he's a very good manager. They'll be up there at the end of the season, that's for sure. As much as we can be disappointed, I'm not disappointed because I just think we've been on a good run and in a perverse kind of way, I think it brings us back down to earth. We've got to move on, regroup and go again."

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