Cardiff City 0-1 Sheffield United: Baldock sends Blades top of the Championship

George Baldock's first goal of the season was enough to clinch three points for the Blades

Injury-hit Sheffield United went to the top of the Championship after edging out Cardiff City in the Welsh capital.

George Baldock scored his first goal of the season as the Blades shrugged off a sluggish start to move to the top of the table on goal difference.

Promotion rivals Burnley and Blackburn Rovers will meet on Sunday.

Cardiff City's problems in front of goal meant interim boss Mark Hudson lost his first game since formally taking the manager's job this week.

The Blades know they will slip to second place whatever the outcome at Turf Moor, and the World Cup break could not have come soon enough.

They already had an acute injury situation, but that became a full-blown crisis this week with the addition of joint top scorer Ollie McBurnie (ankle), John Fleck (calf) and Anel Ahmedhodzic (illness) to a lengthy queue in the Bramall Lane treatment room.

It was no wonder then that a rueful Paul Heckingbottom, forced to name two goalkeepers to fill the bench, was left shaking his head when Jack Robinson limped off with a pulled hamstring after just 13 minutes.

Cardiff, in contrast, welcomed back both Cedric Kipre and Ryan Wintle and looked all the better for it.

Wintle and captain Joe Ralls dominated midfield early on, but as so often this season, Cardiff's misfiring attack could not capitalise.

Three times they went close during a five-minute purple patch mid-way through the first half.

Mark Harris almost capped his Wales call-up for the World Cup this week with a goal but fired over, while Wintle scraped the post from 30 yards and Callum Robinson headed just wide.

A tired backpass by Chris Basham almost gifted Cardiff an opener on the stroke of half-time. Harris was alive to the chance and rounded goalkeeper Wes Foderingham, but the angle was too tight and the visitors scrambled back. It summed up the first half.

World Cup-bound Mark Harris fired over as Cardiff missed chances

Heckingbottom brought on James McAtee at half-time to inject some energy and it made an immediate impact.

The 20-year-old pounced on a wayward clearance and had Billy Sharp primed on the penalty spot, but his pass was cut out by the outstanding Perry Ng.

However, the Blades were galvanised.

They continued to threaten from a series of set-pieces before a moment of opportunism finally broke the deadlock after 64 minutes.

McAtee looked to have lost possession on the edge of the box, but Niels Nkounkou got tangled up and Baldock stole in and drove his shot low and hard inside Ryan Allsop's near post.

Rubin Colwill continued his return to full fitness, this time with 30 minutes from the bench, but Cardiff's confidence visibly ebbed away.

Sharp fired straight at Allsop and Iliman Ndiaye should have done better after the goalkeeper palmed Ben Osborn's effort into his path.

Cardiff went in search of a late equaliser but substitute Sheyi Ojo headed tamely at Foderingham before shooting wide in injury time. It summed up their game - and their season so far.

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom said:

"I'm so pleased with the win because we had to dig deep today. There was a lack of quality in the first half but the game was there and we started the second half really well.

"There's a lot of illness about for us so the players deserve a lot of credit for the points we've picked up in these circumstances. Everyone stepped up.

"You always want to do better but to be where we are now, I've got to be happy. I still think we can get better."

Cardiff City manager Mark Hudson said:

"We were as dominant as we could be in the first half. We created opportunities but we weren't ruthless enough, which is something we have spoken about.

"We didn't start the second half well and that's about managing moments in a game when the momentum swings. We have got to be better at that.

"It was a disappointing goal to give away, not just the last bit. We should have dealt with that passage better. But we have a break now and a chance to assess and improve."