Paul Heckingbottom’s Sheffield United approach despite Chris Wilder speculation continuing in background

The word in the national media last week was that defeat at Arsenal would cost Paul Heckingbottom his job at Sheffield United but despite a 5-0 hammering at the Emirates, he remains in post at Bramall Lane. The Blades chief admitted it was difficult to avoid the “noise” surrounding his job but is determined to turn things around.

It won’t be easy, with United bottom of the table and still looking for their first win of the season after 10 games, but it won’t be for the lack of hard work from Heckingbottom and his staff either. Midfielder Ollie Norwood rejected the suggestion that he and his teammates are not playing for the manager, adding that they “100 per cent” want him to remain in post.

Former Blades starlet left in international limbo by FIFA’s late call

Heckingbottom would no doubt feel extremely hard done to if his P45 did arrive, especially after a tough run of fixtures and more palatable ones on the horizon against the three teams directly above United in the table. If Prince Abdullah does not pull the trigger before United play the likes of Burnley, Bournemouth and Luton, then results in those games could either ease or expedite his concerns.

Heckingbottom insisted he will not “seek assurances” from the United hierarchy about his role at Bramall Lane. “I’m a person who gets on with the job and that’s all I will do,” he said. “Continue to do the job to the best of my ability. The fans know they have a group of staff and players who are going to give everything.

United’s finance over football view sucking fun out of Prem adventure - Danny Hall

“I know how hard I work, how hard the staff work and the players. Internally we’re very good at ignoring the noise but you can’t deny it’s there. Whether there’s anything in it, who knows? We’ve overcome a lot, we had all the external noise last season whether about administration or the transfer embargo or the club or players being sold.

“We could put that to one side and focus on our jobs and we have to do that again. We just focus on the internal things and more of an issue for us is the injuries and the squads and that’s one of the things that’s costing us. But we have to find a way to pick up points.”

The Star understands that reports of a three-name shortlist being drawn up to replace Heckingbottom are wide of the mark but in the background are never-ending rumours about former boss Chris Wilder making a fairytale return to Bramall Lane, two and a half years after his remarkable spell in charge came to an end.

Hecky’s Blades ultimatum in bid for Premier League survival boost

Wilder, who is close to Heckingbottom and brought the former Leeds chief to United as U23s boss, would find the opportunity to return to his boyhood club hard to resist if it came up and is known to have patched up his differences with the Blades owner, which were a factor in his departure last time.

Dave Bassett, the former Blades boss and a mentor of Wilder’s, spent time in the company of United’s chief executive Stephen Bettis at the Emirates on Saturday but with a major injury crisis limiting any real options for wholesale changes in personnel, and still 10 more games to be played before the January transfer window offers at least the chance to strengthen, will Prince Abdullah decide to stick with Heckingbottom, at least for a while longer, or twist? It is certainly a big decision as he looks to save not only the value of his asset, but United’s season.