‘I’m not surprised how one-sided the game was’, admits Sheffield United boss

Morgan Gibbs-White scored in both halves, with George Baldock and Billy Sharp also on target before the break to boost the Blades into the Sky Bet Championship play-off places.

Praising his team, who are now unbeaten in their last eight games, Heckingbottom said: “I’m really pleased. We played against a team that can be difficult to play against and we could and should have had more.

“I’m not going to pick any faults – we were really strong.

“It was a really good second goal. The pleasing thing, again, is that the players want to dominate the ball.

“We needed to probe in midweek whereas today we went about it differently.

“We won the ball high up and that’s how we created the majority of our chances.

“The wing-backs were involved on both sides.

“I’m not being disrespectful when I say that I’m not surprised how one-sided the game was.

“George Baldock will have a scan in the next couple of days on his leg injury.

“I’m hoping that Baldock and Chris Basham will be OK after picking up knocks in the second half. Both of them will be assessed.

“I was impressed with Charlie Goode on his debut.”

Heckingbottom made three changes, with Sharp, Sander Berge and John Fleck recalled to the starting line-up. Swansea head coach Russell Martin, meanwhile, recalled Joel Latibeaudiere and Olivier Ntcham.

Ntcham tried an effort from outside the box but lost his footing as he connected with the ball and Basham was able to steer the ball to Wes Foderingham.

Foderingham then had to be alert to collect as Ryan Manning delivered the ball into the path of Joel Piroe.

Gibbs-White opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a fine finish after getting on the end of a superb ball from Oliver Norwood.

Baldock made it 2-0 three minutes later, applying an impressive finish following a good build-up.

Basham, Gibbs-White and Fleck combined to release Rhys Norrington-Davies, whose ball picked out Baldock and his shot went in off the underside of the bar.

Gibbs-White spurned a great chance to put the hosts further ahead when he headed just wide from a Sharp cross.

Ntcham fired a low shot on target but it was no problem for Foderingham, who gathered the ball comfortably.

Sharp made it 3-0 in the 38th minute, receiving the ball from Gibbs-White following a defensive slip before beating the advancing Andy Fisher.

It was a dominant half from the home side, putting them firmly in control at the break.

Baldock put the ball in the net early in the second half but an offside flag cut United’s celebrations short.

Fisher saved a free-kick from Fleck while Gibbs-White and Berge linked up to set up Sharp, who won a corner.

Baldock was forced to go off after receiving lengthy treatment with Goode, on loan from Brentford, coming on to make his United debut.

Gibbs-White scored his second of the match after good hold-up play from Sharp in the 78th minute. Norwood had a great chance to add a fifth, blazing over after some slack defending from Swansea.

Swansea head coach Russell Martin said: “I feel sorry for the fans that have travelled up in difficult circumstances.

“We have a lot of young men who are in the process of growing and learning but we aren’t learning quickly enough, away from home especially.”

Sheffield United: Foderingham, Basham, Egan, Robinson, Baldock (Goode 69), Norwood, Gibbs-White (Jebbison 86),Norrington-Davies, Berge, Fleck, Sharp (McBurnie 82). Unused substitutes: Adam Davies, Ben Davies, Hourihane, Ndiaye.

Swansea: Fisher, Burns, Cabango, Manning, Christie, Downes, Grimes, Latibeaudiere,Ntcham (Obafemi 60),Paterson,Piroe (Smith 81). Unused substitutes: Bennett, Fulton, Joseph, Hamer, Dhanda.

Referee: D Webb (County Durham).