Match ends, Sheffield United 4, Reading 0.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder was delighted his selection gamble paid off after they hammered Reading to go second in the Championship without top scorer Billy Sharp and strike partner David McGoldrick.
The Blades scored after just 38 seconds, when Kieron Freeman bundled home Mark Duffy's low cross.
And they never looked back as loanee Gary Madine twice fired home before the break and John Fleck's deflected strike made it 4-0 shortly after the restart.
"We try to pick the right team, always, and it got the job done," Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield.
"We had to make the right decisions for the benefit of the energy that we wanted to put into the team."
Sharp is the Blades' leading marksman, with 22 goals, while McGoldrick has 11 - their 33 goals between them is just one short of Reading's tally as a team this season.
But Madine, on loan from Cardiff City, proved a more than adequate back-up for them both as he scored his first two goals for the club - and first since netting for Bolton against Ipswich in January last year.
"Gary has been outstanding since he walked through the door, in terms of his attitude," Wilder said.
"He's not played a lot of football this season but he's getting better and better. He and Scott (Hogan) were a handful for the opposition."
The win could have been even more convincing but for some good saves from visiting goalkeeper Emi Martinez, and lifts the Blades above Yorkshire rivals Leeds on goal difference, while Reading, who arrived at Bramall Lane on the back of a vital win over Blackburn, are one point above the relegation zone.
United visit promotion rivals West Brom next Saturday, while the Royals host fellow strugglers Rotherham on the same day.
Reading manager Jose Manuel Gomes told BBC Radio Berkshire:
"(It was) a very bad day. We didn't play well. I had to change Ovie (Ejaria) and (Liam) Kelly because they twisted their ankle, so I couldn't manage the game properly from the bench because I had just a last change.
"I didn't like the game. I didn't like the way we allowed this team to play against us.
"I said after the Wednesday game (against Blackburn) that we don't have much time to celebrate and now we don't have time to cry - just recover and prepare in the week to win the next one."
Line-ups
Sheff Utd
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 1Henderson
- 28CranieBooked at 57mins
- 12Egan
- 3Stevens
- 18FreemanSubstituted forStearmanat 77'minutes
- 16NorwoodBooked at 13minsSubstituted forCouttsat 72'minutes
- 4Fleck
- 22Johnson
- 21Duffy
- 14MadineSubstituted forDowellat 84'minutes
- 11Hogan
Substitutes
- 7Lundstram
- 8Dowell
- 10Sharp
- 15Coutts
- 17McGoldrick
- 19Stearman
- 25Moore
Reading
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26E Martínez
- 3Yiadom
- 19Miazga
- 6Moore
- 27Richards
- 18EjariaSubstituted forBödvarssonat 45'minutes
- 38KellySubstituted forSwiftat 19'minutesBooked at 71mins
- 21Meite
- 16Baker
- 17Barrow
- 22OliveiraSubstituted forMcClearyat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Gunter
- 4O'Shea
- 10Swift
- 12McCleary
- 15Harriott
- 23Bödvarsson
- 28Walker
- Referee:
- Robert Jones
- Attendance:
- 26,513
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home41%
- Away59%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away2
- Corners
- Home4
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away12
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Sheffield United 4, Reading 0.
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Attempt blocked. Andy Yiadom (Reading) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by John Swift.
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Attempt missed. Lewis Baker (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right from a direct free kick.
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Jón Dadi Bödvarsson (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by John Fleck (Sheffield United).
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Attempt blocked. Andy Yiadom (Reading) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Garath McCleary.
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John Swift (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Mark Duffy (Sheffield United).
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Foul by Omar Richards (Reading).
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Paul Coutts (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Garath McCleary (Reading).
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Scott Hogan (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Reading. Conceded by Dean Henderson.
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Attempt saved. Lewis Baker (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Omar Richards.
Substitution
Substitution, Sheffield United. Kieran Dowell replaces Gary Madine.
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Attempt missed. John Swift (Reading) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Garath McCleary with a cross.
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Liam Moore (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Scott Hogan (Sheffield United).
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Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Emiliano Martínez.