'Top class' Oli McBurnie tipped to end goal drought and play big part in Sheffield United run-in

Oli McBurnie has been told he has a big part to play in Sheffield United's push for the play-offs. The 25-year-old is currently going through a bit of a goal drought and is attracting his critics having found the net just seven times in 84 league appearances following his £20million move from Swansea.

Indeed, it's now 38 games since he last scored in a league fixture - a 2-1 home defeat against Leicester 15 months ago. His effort against Southampton in the EFL Cup earlier in the season remains his only success since then.

The Blades return from the international break on Saturday away at Stoke for the first of eight cup finals as the race for a top six finish hots up. Having found the net 24 times at this level prior to his big-money move in the summer of 2019, McBurnie's pedigree at the start of the season suggested he would be influential in United's promotion hopes. However, he's yet to get off the mark in the Championship this term and pressure is mounting on the Scotland international.

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First-team coach Jack Lester has been in McBurnie's shoes and knows all too well what it's like to go through a barren spell but believes he will be a 'big player' between now and the end of the season.

As part of his role as head of player development with particular emphasis on the strikers, Lester has been working closely with McBurnie and says he's a 'terrific player'.

"He's training great but needs a bit of luck with the ball to land for him in the box and he'll be away. He's a terrific player," he told Yorkshire Live.

"I've been there where it's not quite falling for you. It's difficult, you feel that pressure but I can only say what I see.