Billy Sharp delivers 'sensational' verdict on Sheffield United strike pair eyeing play-off glory

Billy Sharp has praised Iliman Ndiaye and Morgan Gibbs-White for their performances recently, describing them as two 'sensational' players. The captain is currently sidelined with a calf tear and has missed the last two matches.

He's been forced to watch from the stands as Sheffield United secured a fifth-placed finish and booked a play-off spot with back-to-back wins over QPR and Fulham. With senior strikers Oli McBurnie, David McGoldrick and Rhian Brewster already ruled out for the season, it meant young forward Ndiaye has been tasked with leading the line in their absence.

He has formed a fruitful partnership in recent weeks with Morgan Gibbs-White and that understanding could be key to United's hopes of securing an immediate return to the Premier League.

Sharp, speaking after collecting the golden boot award at the club's player-of-the-year celebrations, says they are doing 'great for the team'. He said: "They are two very, very sensational players. Similar but different in the same breath.

"Morgan Gibbs-White runs all day, he's got tricks in abundance and scores a lot of goals and assists as well. Iliman, he's taken on the number 9 role if you like while I've been injured, getting in the box and scoring the scrappy goals.

"But, again today [against Fulham], he scored a sublime first touch finish with his left foot. They're doing great for the team, but like I say it's been a big team effort this season with the amount of injuries and setbacks that we have had.

"Hopefully, we can keep doing that for the next three games."