Sheffield United 1 Brighton 0: Paul Heckingbottom's reaction as David McGoldrick scores winner at Bramall Lane

Graham Potter, the Brighton and Hove Albion manager, says he is expecting “a spirited performance” from Sheffield United this evening, despite the Blades being relegated from the Premier League last weekend.

The Blades’ two-year stay in the top flight officially came to an end last weekend, although it had seemed inevitable for some weeks and months as they struggled to replicate their stunning last season, when they finished ninth after threatening to qualify for Europe until the coronavirus pandemic derailed their progress.

Playing games behind closed doors has affected the Blades more than any other Premier League club, but Potter admits he does not see a team that has downed tools when he looks at United.

“They haven’t got that pressure. When you look at them play, they’re still fighting and acting in a way that is a Premier League team,” he said.Graham Potter faced the media ahead of his side’s clash with Sheffield United sporting a scar to his face: PA Video/PA Wire.

“I am sure they will want to finish off as well as they can. All the players are playing for their futures, the coaching staff are doing the same.

“We’ve got a lot of respect for them, as a team and a club.”

Saturday’s game will again be played behind closed doors, with the possibility of 10,000 fans being allowed into Bramall Lane for the last game of this season coming far too late to have any effect on the Blades’ survival hopes.

“I think that’s part of it,” admitted Potter, when asked if the lack of crowds had had an impact on United’s season.

“The way they play and at Bramall Lane… it’s a completely different animal with a crowd and without one.

“They get the ball in the box and that gets the crowd going. They have had some injuries to key players and then there are the margins in the Premier League.

“They have been on the losing side by the odd goal a lot, so maybe this time last year it was going their way, but that just shows how football can be sometimes.

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“As I said earlier, they are fighting, their fate has been sealed but that doesn’t mean they can’t make the most out of the Premier League games they have got.

“As individuals they will want to make a case to remain in the Premier League, or they could be a part of things going forward there.

“I expect a spirited performance, a hard game, a tough match.”

Potter appeared at his press conference ahead of the trip to Bramall Lane with heavy bruising below his left eye and a significant gash on his cheek.

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With reporters ready to hear details of a daring deed or possible training ground incident, the 45-year-old bashfully explained that the cause was far more mundane.

“I would love to be able to tell you that there’s a heroic, chivalrous story here that I can make myself look really good but unfortunately I just missed my footing walking home on some steps and then went crashing into a metal railing,” he said.

“And I have got a bit of whiplash on my back.

“Thankfully it’s only hit my cheek - it could have been worse!

When it was suggested his modelling days may now be over, he replied: “They were over a long, long time ago - if ever they started!”

and not much changes for the Blades despite the fact they’re already down - Ampadu drops to the bench and Bogle comes in, with Baldock playing at centre-half. Youngsters Gordon and Brunt on the bench

And for Brighton...

Who are you hoping to see on the teamsheet? Brunt? Ndiaye? The tried and tested players? Not long to wait now...

The Sheffield-born former Blades manager, now in charge of Middlesbrough, dealt another blow to Wednesday’s survival hopes in the Championship, with United already relegated from the Premier League.

“For both clubs to get relegated, it’s bloody diabolical ain’t it? It means so much to people,” Warnock said after his side’s 3-1 win over the Owls at the Riverside.

“But you don’t get relegated with two games to go. Your relegation comes with how many games you have lost.”

Easy to forget how good a move this was, considering United had gone a long, long time without a win at that point - ultimately they were denied victory by Danny Welbeck’s late equaliser after a very costly miss from Oli Burke

Sheffield United have been warned they must learn the lessons of their previous two relegations from the Premier League in order to avoid another long spell in the footballing wilderness.

And the Blades are back at the Lane to face Brighton - they’re already down, of course, and it’ll be interesting to see if that brings a little release of pressure and removes, in boss Paul Heckingbottom’s words, the noose from around his players’ necks.

Heckingbottom is a big believer in teams always having something to play for, but it’ll also be worth keeping an eye on team news at 7pm to see if any of United’s young stars have been handed a rare start now relegation has been confirmed...