Sheffield United 3 Coventry City 1: Ndiaye and Foderingham excel as Blades move level with leaders Burnley

It saw the Blades booed off the pitch at half-time in what proved a fateful occasion for Slavisa Jokanovic in the final game of his troubled and short-lived tenure.

For his successor in Paul Heckingbottom, there is rather more goodwill around. His restoration work at Bramall Lane is bordering on the magnificent.

A rare blemish on his stellar card arrived back in March against the Sky Blues, whose 4-1 win was humbling.

A late 1-0 reverse in Warwickshire in October was painful for different reasons. Here was sweet redemption as United signed off 2022 in front of their own supporters in resounding fashion.

It was not quite a perfect afternoon, with the dismissal of captain John Egan for a second bookable offence 13 minutes from time being something that Heckingbottom could have done without.

But plenty of other things certainly went right against one of the division’s undoubted form horses en route to a fourth successive victory and seventh in eight matches.

They drew level on points with leaders Burnley, who welcome Birmingham City on Tuesday evening. The more important factor is that the Blades have extended their buffer over third-placed Blackburn Rovers to a handy eight points.

It was a day when Illiman Ndiaye came to the party in particular. Another much-talked about Championship talent in Viktor Gyokeres had a decidedly mixed day in comparison - missing a 48th-minute penalty when the game was very much live before managing to find the net late on.

Reigning US Open champion and United fanatic Matt Fitzpatrick was the star turn before kick-off, when he proudly paraded his trophy.

When the game got going, it was Ndiaye’s turn to decorate proceedings in golden fashion.

Key players produce game-breaking moments and despite his tender years, Ndiaye can count himself among that bracket.

Picking the ball up as United countered following a Coventry corner, the Senegalese instinctively knew what to deal and instigated James McAtee’s 35th-minute quite beautifully.

He effortlessly twisted and turned away from Ben Sheaf in centre field and had the presence of mind to slip in the supporting McAtee, with Sky Blues captain Jamie Allen failing to cut out his pass.

The Manchester City loanee surged clear and did the rest, tucking the ball away nicely past Ben Wilson.

Quality was not in abundant supply in the first half. Any on offer was usually provided by Ndiaye. Things were different on the resumption as United – who saw Billy Sharp’s header hit the bar before McAtee’s opener - started to show their class.

It did start off in the way the hosts were hoping for, that said. But it did another of their big-game players in Wes Fotheringham step up to the plate.

A faux pas from the usually immaculate Anel Ahmedhodzic - who produced an outstanding saving tackle in the first half to deny Gyokeres - was penalised.

The Blades defender tripped Jake Bidwell and Coventry had their lifeline, only for the division’s top-scorer in Gyokeres, of all people, to fluff his lines from 12 yards, with Fotheringham diving low to his right to not just save the Swede’s penalty, but gather it.

The importance of that save was magnified minutes later.

Oli Norwood’s free-kick on the right simply begged to be attacked which Ciaran Clark duly did, thumping in an unstoppable header while in splendid isolation in the box.

It represented a choice moment to register his first goal in United colours.

United were suddenly cruising and a memorable Boxing Day got that bit better on 71 minutes with another milestone goal from a player in red and white.

Just moments after coming on, Tommy Doyle helped himself to his maiden Blades goal, staying alive in the box to steer home Max Lowe's cross from the left, seconds after Sander Berge's cross from the opposite flank evaded everyone.

Gyokeres finally got something right when he headed home Gustavo Hamer's centre past Foderingham, who had shown splendid reflexes moments before to keep out Gustavo Hamer’s swerving free-kick.

Egan's dismissal made things more interesting than they should have been with Gyokeres going close to a second.

But United were not to be denied as 2022-23 continues to be special.

Sheffield United: Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Clark; Baldock, Norwood, Berge, Lowe; McAtee (T Doyle 70); Sharp (Jebbison 70), Ndiaye (Basham 79). Substitutes unused: Davies, Stevens, Khadra, Bogle.

Coventry City: Wilson; Rose, C Doyle, Panzo (Tavares 85); Burroughs (Dabo 59); Hamer, Sheaf (Kelly 58), Bidwell; Allen (Waghorn 59), O’Hare (Palmer 7); Gyokeres. Substitutes unused: Moore, Kane.

Referee: M Donohue (Greater Manchester).