Sheffield United boss’s verdict on “dangerous” Blackburn Rovers amid Burnley comparison

Sheffield United chief Paul Heckingbottom has warned his side to be wary of “dangerous” Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park this afternoon, suggesting they can be up there with the best in the Championship on their day.

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Fourth plays second in the Championship’s early kick-off in Lancashire, with both sides hoping to continue their push for Premier League football next season. United are second, seven points clear of Middlesbrough in third, while Blackburn kick off just two shy of Michael Carrick’s side in the table.

After a promising start to the season, Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side tailed off before bouncing back from a run of six successive draws in league and cup with four straight wins.

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The Blades travel across the Pennines buoyed by back-to-back victories themselves and Heckingbottom warned: “It’s a big game against a dangerous team. They’ve won almost as many games as us and Burnley in the league, that’s how good they can be.

“They’ve been looking for that consistency, which they seem to have found in the last few weeks. Nothing changes in terms of what we think of them. We think they’re a dangerous side, with some good players. So we know it’s going to be a tough game.

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“They were right up there at the start with us and then they dropped away, and everyone’s talking about them going and being finished. And now they find themselves fourth again.

“I say all the time about the Championship; this is what this league does, year after year. We’ve got to be prepared for it. Teams can go on runs and find that form and the margins are so, so fine. You just need a couple of things to go your way and produce a couple of big performances at the right time, and you can turn things very quickly.”

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