Sheffield United boss explains why Reda Khadra didn't come off bench against Middlesbrough

Khadra appeared set to make his latest appearance for the Blades since signing earlier this month when he was prepared from the bench, before being told to sit back down again as the game finished in a 2-2 draw.

United were disappointed not to see out what would have been an impressive three points at the Riverside, with Chuba Akpom pouncing with an 82nd-minute header to earn Chris Wilder’s side a share of the spoils.

“We've got a very attacking bench so it was always going to be attacking changes,” said Heckingbottom, who was forced to replace the injured Billy Sharp with Rhian Brewster at half-time and also had Manchester City loan duo Tommy Doyle and James McAtee as unused substitutes.

“Rhian came on after playing 90 minutes [at West Brom] and he got stood on.

“So we were going to make that change with Reda, just like-for-like with direct pace. If we could have Reda one-on-one with Darragh Lenihan, I'd have backed him all day long to get in.

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“So that was going to be the change in the last six or seven minutes of the game, but the ball didn't seem to go out. We defended a corner, which I wouldn't make a change on, and then the ball never went out for it. So that was the thought process.”

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