Match Report: PNE 0 Sheffield United 2

Goals either side of half-time saw league leaders Sheffield United come out 2-0 winners against Preston North End at Deepdale.

PNE were dominant in the first half, creating plenty of chances without reward, and they were punished for it when Ndiaye scored in the 40th minute.

Oli McBurnie then doubled his side’s lead 15 minutes from time and the Blades left Lancashire with three points.

Ryan Lowe made three alterations from the midweek draw against Burnley, with Alan Browne and Andrew Hughes coming in, while Álvaro Fernández made his first Championship start.

Rhian Brewster had the first shot of the game, sending a chipped effort just wide, before Troy Parrott split the visiting defence at the other end to find Emil Riis, but the Dane couldn’t quite work room for a shot on goal or to find a man in the middle.

North End then had the better of the play pretty much for the rest of the half, being first and second to everything, and chances were being created too, firstly with Ben Whiteman sending a long-range effort over the bar, while Ali McCann had his shot deflected wide.

Emil Riis and Hughes had chances in the next ten minutes or so, before the two then almost combined as Hughes muscled his way past a few United players and sent in a terrific low cross towards the front post, where Riis was just beaten to it by a defender.

Next to have a go was Whiteman, on the end of a fast PNE break, but the midfielder curled his 20-yard effort just over the crossbar, and Parrott then had a shot deflected over in the next attack.

The forward would have had another a minute before the break were it not for Freddie Woodman, who produced an excellent reflex stop to deny the Senegalese attacker.

In the second half, PNE were again the side on top in the early stages without really creating too much, while at the other end an opportunity presented itself to Brewster, but he sliced an effort over the bar.

The Blades then made it two on 75 minutes when Sander Berge dispossessed Hughes before squaring for McBurnie, who tapped home to double his side’s lead.

Skipper Browne came close to pulling one back with 84 minutes on the clock, but goalkeeper Wes Foderingham produced a superb save low to his left, and the game ended 2-0 to the visitors.