Iheanacho scores hat-trick against sorry Blades

Kelechi Iheanacho scored a superb hat-trick as Leicester City maintained their push for a top-four finish with a commanding Premier League victory over Sheffield United, in the Blades’ first game since the departure of manager Chris Wilder.

But Leicester were far superior at King Power Stadium on Sunday, where Iheanacho continued his fine goalscoring form as the Foxes ran riot in the second half.

Iheanacho scored for a third successive Premier League game for the first time as he met Jamie Vardy’s cut-back to break the deadlock shortly before the interval.

Ayoze Perez had come closest to an early opener with a flicked header that Aaron Ramsdale diverted onto the post, but the Spaniard got the goal his performance deserved with a fine finish into the bottom corner after 64 minutes.

Iheanacho got his second from Vardy’s excellent pass five minutes later, before the Nigeria forward’s powerful strike sealed his treble.

Vardy thought he had ended a six-game goal drought with his shot 10 minutes from time, but Blades defender Ethan Ampadu made the decisive touch.

Leicester move into second place, above Manchester United, who face West Ham later on Sunday (19:15 GMT), while Sheffield United are 14 points adrift of safety.

Blades’ dismal start to life without Wilder

For the first time since a 1-0 defeat by Bolton Wanderers on the opening day of the 2016-17 League One campaign, Sheffield United took to the field without Wilder as manager.

Tasked with lifting the players for their final 10 Premier League games with relegation to the Championship looming, Heckingbottom was only able to link up with his players on Sunday due to Covid-19 protocols.

But the former Barnsley, Leeds United and Hibernian boss could not have been further from inspiring his side to a shock victory in a tough opening assignment against Leicester.

United failed to register a single attempt at goal in a one-sided first-half but they at least had Ramsdale to thank for not finding themselves further behind before the interval.

Chris Basham headed Vardy’s shot off the line as the Blades offered resistance early in the second half, but Heckingbottom’s side were torn apart as they shipped four goals in the space of 16 desperate minutes.

Having never lost by more than a three-goal margin under Wilder, United fell limply to their heaviest defeat since September 2008, bringing to a close a week that few could have envisaged less than one year on from the club’s remarkable ninth-placed finish on their top-flight return.

Iheanacho steadies Foxes in top-four fight

With nine games remaining, a top-four place and the chance to make amends for last season’s late collapse from the Champions League positions is within Leicester’s reach.

And it is the notable upturn in output from Iheanacho that is currently driving that push.

Iheanacho, bought from Manchester City for £25m in 2017, now has seven goals in his last eight games in all competitions following an impressive performance which demonstrated precisely why Leicester originally signed him.

The 24-year-old undeniably benefited from some magnificent passing moves behind him, but he worked hard for his team and was clinical and assured in his finishing when picked out by two perfectly weighted passes from Vardy.

Vardy has now only scored once in his past 15 games, after his late effort appeared to be travelling wide before Ampadu’s intervention, while he was also denied by Ramsdale and Basham, but his all-round contribution will have delighted manager Brendan Rodgers.

Leicester were at their free-flowing best from back to front in the second half, albeit against obliging opposition, and Perez was able to offer the necessary incisiveness in the absence of injured pair James Maddison and Harvey Barnes.

Rodgers’ side face stern tests against Manchester City and West Ham immediately after the international break, with the game against the fifth-placed Hammers in particular shaping up to be a must-win to avoid any end-of-season tension.

‘It’s an emotional dressing room’ – what the managers said

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers to BBC Sport: “We were nice and aggressive. We didn’t give them many chances. When we had the ball we had to be patient, it took a little bit of time but once we got the breakthrough we were outstanding with the speed of our game.

“Kelechi Iheanacho is a great guy and when he has been asked to come in he has performed. Absolutely delighted for him to have got a hat-trick in the Premier League. It’s a great achievement and all were very good team goals.”

Sheffield United interim manager Paul Heckingbottom to BBC Sport: “We know the circumstances behind it. It’s been a tough week in losing Chris [Wilder]. He is a mate of mine. I’ve been in touch with him a few times. The players and the staff have lost their leader. It’s taken its toll. It’s an emotional dressing room.

“There were lots of habits in that performance which haven’t been there before. The standards have been slipping. I’m here to help between now and the end of the season.”

BBCSPORTS