Sheffield United boss expresses his admiration for Bristol City

Although United are second in the Championship table and five points clear of third place with five league matches remaining this term, Heckingbottom has warned his squad that the circumstances surrounding the latest assignment on their schedule will suit Nigel Pearson’s side “down to the ground”.

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Predicting City, ranked 14th, will look to attack the contest rather than simply be content to try and stifle United’s creativity, Heckingbottom said: “Bristol City are a team I like because of their energy and okay, there might be moments when the try and slow the game down, but basically as a rule they try to get the tempo up. I think they’ll come at us.”

“It’s a tough game and a dangerous game,” the United manager added. “They won’t be stifled because of where they are, they can come here and play. Where they are encourages everything about the way they like to try and go about things.”

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Although his team will enter the match as favourites, Heckingbottom has repeatedly stressed of late that United can not take anything for granted as they chase a return to the top-flight. He will use events at Ashton Gate in November, when Pearson’s men were the more accomplished of the two teams before Iliman Ndiaye’s finish saw United edge the fixture, to remind that “there is still plenty of work to be done” in order to make sure of automatic promotion.

“City are a threat on the counter and in transition as well, because of that energy and pace within their group,” said Heckingbottom, who will again be without suspended goalkeeper Wes Foderingham. “Nigel has made changes to his team to keep that energy up throughout the season, although that’s personnel rather than the style they like to go about things in. That makes predicting who they will pick difficult. But they, like us, have a set way of playing. I think, looking at everything, this could be a really exciting night and it’s one

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