Sheffield United v Nottingham Forest: How promotion contenders overcame poor starts to turn their seasons around

Tomorrow evening’s hotly-anticipated clash between Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest at Bramall Lane doesn’t only pit together two sides hoping to win promotion to the Premier League this season.
Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom is preparing his side to face Nottingham Forest tomorrow: Paul Terry / SportimageSheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom is preparing his side to face Nottingham Forest tomorrow: Paul Terry / Sportimage
Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom is preparing his side to face Nottingham Forest tomorrow: Paul Terry / Sportimage

It is a meeting of two clubs who, a few months ago, were enduring underwhelming campaigns of frustration and disappointment, with thoughts of promotion seemingly a million miles away.

If United’s rise since Paul Heckingbottom was appointed is remarkable, Forest’s resurgence under their own new boss in Steve Cooper has been incredible. Bottom of the table when the former Swansea boss took over, Forest have won 15 and drawn eight of their 27 games since and will also reach the last eight of the FA Cup if they beat Huddersfield Town on Monday.

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Those close to Forest report that Cooper has breathed fresh belief into a squad of players undoubtedly high on talent but low on confidence after a below-par start to the season.

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The same can be said of Heckingbottom, who took over from Slavisa Jokanović with the Blades 13th in the Championship table and having lost more games than they had won since dropping out of the Premier League.

With any new managerial appointment, there will be an inevitable rise in tempo in training but maintaining that intensity, and taking it into matchday, has been key for both clubs.

Forest’s forward players have been unleashed, given the freedom to go and create – again, not too dissimilar to the approach taken by Heckingbottom with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Iliman Ndiaye – and the former will be well-known to Cooper, having been a member of his England squad – alongside injured Blades striker Rhian Brewster – that won the U17 World Cup in India back in 2017.

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper applauds the supporters( JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper applauds the supporters( JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper applauds the supporters( JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
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Forest’s resurgence has undoubtedly been built on their away form – their results at the City Ground actually place them mid-table, but only a hat-trick of teams – the current top three of Fulham, Bournemouth and Huddersfield – have taken more points away from home so far this season.

“Sometimes it’s the environment you can create, or the message,” Blades boss Heckingbottom said of the ‘new manager effect’ ahead of tomorrow evening’s game, which be played in front of the Sky Sports cameras once again.

“It’s not always as simple as the manager or the players, it’s everything combined. Staff, fans, club, everything.

“If you’re the manager, the more influence you can have over all those things the better, but sometimes you can’t.

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“I’m not sure what Steve’s had to do in there and what he has done. But he’s done a good job and made them a really dangerous team.

“Similar to Blackburn, it’s another big game. They’ll approach it the same way as well; they’ll think they’re coming to a tough place so they’ll approach it in a certain way.

“Maybe sit deep and counter or slow it down, or come after us on the front foot. We’re just guessing.

“So we want to know and be prepared what teams will throw at us, because any time in a game they’ll just change.”

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