Leicester City find all the right answers against Sheffield United

Leicester City showed class and courage in equal measure to win a Walkers Stadium barnstormer on Saturday night.

In a hugely impressive first-half display, winger Lloyd Dyer provided the fizz allied to Champagne goals from Michael Morrison and Matty Fryatt.

Then a rookie back-line needing more re-shuffles than a Government cabinet recovered from a shaky start to repel the threat of the dashing Blades and send City into fourth spot going into today's clash at Doncaster.

Which face of City impressed the most is a hard one to call but what was served up on a Boxing Night plate was one of the best home performances since Nigel Pearson took charge in July 2008.

After the woefulness of Wednesday on their visit to the Walkers two weeks ago, City, as expected, were given a steelier test by the other Sheffield club who went into the game on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run.

Robbie Neilson was restored to the right-back role as Michael Morrison moved across to centre-back to cover for the injured Wayne Brown.

Manchester City loanee Ryan McGivern was at left-back with Bruno Berner on the bench.

Sheffield had three former City players in their line-up – short-term loanee Mark Bunn, one of six keepers used in their League One winning campaign last season, Richard Cresswell, a City man for just under a year, and Jordan Stewart, seven years a first-team player at Leicester after progressing through the club's Academy.

The first clash between the two clubs on August 18 was a cracker which ended in a 1-1 draw. City started on the front foot that night, but found themselves pushed back by the Blades in the opening stages on Saturday.

Stewart was soon in the action and worked his way past a Jack Hobbs challenge to shoot straight at Chris Weale, with the City defender needing lengthy treatment for a leg injury.

Then Morrison made an excellent saving tackle to deny Stewart another goal-scoring opportunity.

City needed something to force their way into the picture and that was provided by the outstanding Dyer, who went on a terrific run from inside his own half before skillfully working his way into the penalty area and shooting just wide of the goal.

Another jinking run from Dyer, back in the side after two months in the shadows, eventually led to City's clearest early opening, but Steve Howard's header was cleared for a corner off Sheffield skipper Chris Morgan.

From the resulting Matt Oakley flag-kick, Bunn showed lightning-quick reactions to prevent Nick Montgomery slicing the ball into his own net.

That was one escape for the Blades and they survived an even greater one after 20 minutes when Oakley cut inside his marker and his shot appeared to strike Matthew Kilgallon on the hand, but Peterborough referee Darren Deadman waved away vehement City claims for a penalty.

Kilgallon then used more legitimate means to block a Dyer strike, but City's pressure finally told after 25 minutes.

Morrison ventured forward to have what looked likely to be a defender's long-range pot but he hit the ball as sweetly as a centre-forward and Bunn did well with a tip over the crossbar.

But the 21-year-old was not to be denied and, as Bunn missed his clearance punch from Oakley's corner, Morrison was there at the near post to head home for his first league goal of the season.

Dyer was prompting all City's best work, and United could not deal with his pace. He then produced a quite brilliant through-ball to set up Fryatt after 35 minutes – and did City make it pay.

Fryatt ran on to the Dyer pass and, as he cut inside Morgan deep in the penalty area, Montgomery's attempt to help out his Sheffield team-mate clumsily back-fired as he trod on Fryatt's foot.

The City man went down and then picked himself up to coolly dispatch the penalty for his 11th league goal of the campaign.

The two-goal advantage was no more than City deserved for a terrific showing of guile and pace with Oakley and Richie Wellens both going mightily close to extending the lead before half-time with the skipper launching a crashing drive into the side-netting and Wellens looping a shot which crashed against the bar.

City left the field to a standing ovation.

Hobbs did not appear for the second half but Berner, his intended substitute, stayed in the dug-out with a calf problem which thrust 18-year-old Academy right-back Luke O'Neill into the spotlight and an unfamiliar role on the opposite flank.

McGivern switched to the heart of the defence and, with the back-four still finding their bearings, City were quickly undone barely a minute into the re-start as substitute Henri Camara, involved in transfers worth nearly £5million, showed his experience in the penalty area to squeeze the ball home after City failed to deal with crosses from both flanks.

The early breakthrough pepped up the Blades and Camara rammed a shot into the side-netting before Oakley eased the pressure with a cross-shot which just evaded Fryatt.

Almost on the hour, Howard and Oakley again showed their understanding by linking up well with the big striker forcing Bunn into a fine save. Barely 30 seconds later, Howard punched the air in frustration after looping the ball just over the crossbar.

At the other end, and typical of a thrilling contest, Weale pushed away a Jamie Ward pile-driver after 64 minutes before Morgan missed a chance from seven yards out to level for the Blades.

Camara's spectacular overhead kick was also just over as the Blades threatened to get on level terms.

City's midfield were performing miracles to stem the attacking flow of the Blades and put their own side on the counter-attack with Wellens and Andy King outstanding at the heart of the four. Wellens set up Fryatt with a chance after 70 minutes but he dragged his shot just wide of the far post.

That set up a riveting final quarter and City stretched every sinew to protect the advantage they had gained with the experienced players forming a shield around the rookie back-line to ensure the victory was achieved and that the promotion push moved up another notch.