Sheffield United: Iron star warns Blades

Mark Robins’ side play host to United tomorrow four days after beating Leyton Orient in a second round replay and King, the former Preston North End midfielder, said: “The league is our bread and butter and we know we need to pick up more points and the lads are focused on doing exactly that. Ultimately it is about the result and generally if you get one the performance will follow.”

King, who scored one of the three goals which put Orient to the sword earlier this week, started his career with Didcot Town before arriving at Scunthorpe, via Deepdale, during the close season. The 30-year-old attributes his never-say-die approach to his time in non-league and, with United manager Nigel Adkins demanding his team “physically” assert themselves, is preparing for a gruelling encounter.

“The result comes first and then the performance second,” King said. “But with the squad and the team we have got, if we do play well then we will get the results we want.”

United face their namesakes from Manchester at the same stage of the competition on Saturday 9 January (kick-off 5.30pm).