"Pleasure to play with" - Sheffield United loan man heaps praise on teammate as unbeaten run extends against Hull

The midfielders are yet to lose a game when they have played together in a United shirt, winning 75 per cent of matches as a pairing. Without both, throughout the season, United have won 35 per cent of their games.

That streak extended in midweek when the Blades drew 0-0 with Hull City and both men will hope they have done enough to keep their places for this weekend’s visit of Swansea City, with manager Paul Heckingbottom intent on resting and rotating his midfield pairing to navigate a congested fixture list in the coming weeks and months.

"Hecky's touched on it a couple of times,” Hourihane, the former Swans midfielder, said.

“We've got some good players in there and everyone's got their own qualities. It seems like me and Ollie have played a bit more together than with other players.

"It's a pleasure to play with Ollie, he's a good footballer and we're playing nicely together, forming a decent partnership.

“But there's four good players in there fighting for different positions. We're all pushing each other."

MORE: Blades boss reveals Bogle injury verdict ahead of Swansea clash

United have an embarrassment of riches in central midfield, with Heckingbottom able to rotate four midfielders with international caps in recent weeks.

Norwegian Sander Berge came off the bench to impress in his brief cameo against City, while Scottish international John Fleck has been interchanged frequently with Hourihane since Heckingbottom succeeded Slavisa Jokanović at the helm late last year.

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