The tactical masterstroke that can help Sheffield United get the best out of their new striker

After making an encouraging start to his career at Bramall Lane, Burke is expected to feature when Leeds visit South Yorkshire on Sunday for a match Wilder hopes will deliver his team’s first points of the new Premier League season.

The Scotland international, who rose to prominence by scoring a memorable solo goal against United’s latest opponents for Nottingham Forest four years ago, enters the fixture on the back of two strong individual performances against Burnley and Aston Villa, where he instigated the move which saw his side awarded a first-half penalty, subsequently missed by John Lundstram, despite being reduced to 10 men early on.

Cutting a much more confident and influential figure than the talented but often ineffective performer which persuaded West Bromwich Albion to include him as a makeweight in the £3m deal which took Callum Robinson to The Hawthorns earlier this month, Burke attributes his recent displays to Wilder’s insistence that his skills are best utilised through the middle; not on the flanks where he has frequently been deployed during spells with RB Leipzig, Celtic and Alaves.

“It’s a good experience, to be put in different positions, and to develop the ability to do that because it gives you a better understanding of the game,” Burke told The Star. “But to get the best out of me, I think you have to play me as a striker and I’ve spoken to the manager about where I’ll play.

“I can be flexible and I’m happy to do that. But I do think there comes a time when you have to nail down a position and it’s a really good thing (to be played more centrally) because I feel really comfortable there.”

Although it has improved his tactical knowledge and understanding of how and where team mates like to receive the ball, the variety of roles Burke has been asked to master since turning professional has probably only added to the upheaval many within the game, including his Scotland manager Steve Clarke, suspect has contributed to his failure to build on the progress he made after completing a near £15m move to Germany. Having spent a year on the continent, Burke returned to England with West Brom but spent much of his time in the Midlands out on loan - being dispatched to Parkhead and Spain before heading for United.

“Yes, the manager’s track record came into the conversation when this opportunity came up,” Burke said, noting how a large portion of the squad Wilder has assembled were previously with lower league clubs. “It’s all about having that belief in a manager, someone who has trusted me and has faith in what I’m capable of doing. That’s so important.”

“All of the ups and the downs, hopefully I can take those and learn from them,” he added. “Hopefully I can kick on and use them in a positive way. I can still improve a lot. I can do that here, because I’ve the right people around me.”

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