Alan Biggs' Sheffield United column: Manchester United may be in town this weekend but it's the Blades who are the star attraction

But keeping your eye on the ball demands exactly that.

Or “not standing still,” as the manager of Sheffield United would term it.

Which is why, as Bramall Lane prepares for one of its red letter days in the Premier League this Sunday, the think tank behind the operation is also preoccupied with events five weeks into the future.

Has been for some time, in fact. And the reality that the bar has gone up on what United might need in the January window will intensify that concentration rather than weaken it.

It might have been about what the club needed to stay up.

The greater likelihood, all the more demandingly, is that it will be about what Chris Wilder and company need to kick on from a mightily impressive start in the top tier.

Of course, safety itself cannot be taken for granted at this early stage and the performance against Manchester United will be more confirmatory of tremendous progress than serious expectation of the current fifth place being a yardstick position.

But standards have been raised and demands accordingly, however unrealistic that may seem.

So the quest for improvement narrows down to an increasingly higher calibre of player.

It’s a tribute to this squad that the task has become more difficult and potentially costlier than many may have anticipated.

Because, frankly, there is no glaring weakness to address, no player who obviously needs replacing. A testimony there to both the players and the management.

But that will spur Wilder rather than placate him, restless as he is to maintain momentum.

It’s too early for the “super” players wishingly referenced for the future when Prince Abdullah assumed full power, yet to be fully cemented, in August.

Even if one could be afforded, Wilder - who spent time with the Saudi rulers last week - would fight shy of anything that unbalanced the formidable spirit and togetherness of his squad. And biggest is not necessarily always best, as the challenge facing £20m Oli McBurnie currently bears out.

So where should United look to improve? Besides the obvious of a proven Premier League goalscorer, it’s tough.

Oddly as it may seem, I might be tempted to focus on a couple of the strongest positions - the “overlapping” centre back roles occupied by Chris Basham and Jack O’Connell.

Strange because neither needs replacing, far from it. Normally a manager with a strong, well-covered squad would only look for additions who could improve it by displacing someone.

In this case, when I look at United, my only nagging fear is what would happen if either or both of those fixtures alongside John Egan (part of an ever-present back three and subject to an injury scare midweek) were sidelined.

Basham and O’Connell have become akin to United’s USP.

We know that the admirable Enda Stevens could move from left wing-back to cover for O’Connell, as he did last season. It’s not so obvious what Wilder would do on the other side.

As cup defeats to Barnet and Sunderland have highlighted in the past couple of seasons, that component of the team cannot be readily replicated.

Meanwhile, enjoy Manchester United - but not just that United.

The beauty of what’s happening is that supporters no longer come to these games expecting to marvel at the opposition.

They have a competitive team of their own to admire.