The Championship Team of the Month for December has been named and Sheffield United dominate proceedings with four inclusions.
December proved a fruitful month for the Blades as they returned to action following the World Cup. Four wins, against Huddersfield, Coventry, Blackpool and Wigan ensured the Blades remain hot on the heels of Burnley at the summit.
The Clarets, beaten 5-2 at Bramall Lane, have continued to grind results out and now hold a five-point lead over United after Paul Heckingbottom’s side drew at QPR on Monday.
But in a nod to how impressive United were in December, Sky Sports have used WhoScored.com to pull together their top players and included four Blades in the XI for December.
Blades dominate Championship Team of the Month for December
There’s a couple of usual suspects in there from a United perspective. Iliman Ndiaye once again gets the nod in attack after returning in fine form after the World Cup.
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Likewise, Oliver Norwood continues to shine in midfield. The Blades playmaker has been a regular feature in teams of the week all season long.
However, two more have emerged from the shadows at Bramall Lane last month as well.
In defence, Ciaran Clark capped a fine first full month of being fit with some excellent displays. He got on the scoresheet against Coventry City too.
In attack, James McAtee looks a player reborn. Paul Heckingbottom spent time working with the Man City loanee during the World Cup and the change is obvious. Goals for McAtee against Coventry and then a stunning solo effort against Blackpool have cemented his spot in the first XI.
The Blades are in action in the FA Cup this weekend. A trip to Millwall awaits, where Heckingbottom will surely put a number of players in who are short of minutes. The likes of Daniel Jebbison, Chris Basham, Tommy Doyle, Andre Brooks and Adam Davies can all expect to play at The Den.