Sheffield United: Boss reassures Daniel Jebbison despite lack of game time since Burton Albion loan cut short

Jebbison returned early from his loan spell at Burton Albion after the Blades suffered something of a crisis of strikers, with Lys Mousset, Rhian Brewster and Oli Burke either injured or loaned out.

The England youth international moved further up the pecking order when David McGoldrick suffered a season-ending injury, but has played just five minutes since returning to Bramall Lane – at the end of a 4-0 victory over Swansea.

Jebbison issued a timely reminder of his goalscoring abilities by netting in United U23s’ 4-0 win over Hull City earlier this week, with Andre Brooks (2) and Joe Starbuck also on the scoresheet.

And, speaking ahead of tomorrow evening’s home clash with Nottingham Forest, Heckingbottom – who has kept the faith with Oli McBurnie and Billy Sharp as his front two of late - said: “He has got to get past them. As simple as that.

"We look at who is in form. Bill has been doing great and scoring goals. Morgan [Gibbs-White] has too, and there is Iliman [Ndiaye] and Oli.

“Jebbo is in and amongst that.”

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“He does offer something different,” Heckingbottom, who blooded Jebbison last season towards the end of United’s stay in the top flight, added.

“If you think back to when I used him in the Premier League and the role he played, as that nine in really stretching the game and pressing, we used his energy to exploit that space in behind.

"If he didn't get it, he'd make space for our 10s. But there have not been many games set up like that this season and that is a difference in this league.

"But in terms of Jebbo's development, that is not a bad thing as he is having to work on a lot of things and realise and develop other parts of his game.

"There's lots of work going on with Jebbo, without a doubt and he is certainly in the picture. Each one of the strikers is different."

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