Sheffield United consider strategy shift during FA Cup quarter-final against Blackburn Rovers

Confirming his players will be “giving everything” to reach the last four of the competition, rather than treating Sunday’s game as an escape from the intensity of the Championship’s automatic promotion race, Heckingbottom admitted he is prepared to continue tweaking United’s shape if it enhances their prospects of reaching Wembley.

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After making a subtle adjustment to United’s midfield for the victory over Sunderland, which saw them strengthen their grip on second place, Heckingbottom explained: “If we go with that same shape, with two midfielders behind the ball, it can open up a bit more space for us. If we play it properly, as we have just done, then we can make things a bit more open with three midfielders and two forwards.”

Intriguingly, Rovers lined up in the same 4-2-3-1 formation Sunderland adopted against United when they beat Reading in midweek.

Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side also utilised it when they beat United in the league at Ewood Park earlier this month and Heckingbottom, who recalled both Tommy Doyle and James McAtee at the Stadium of Light, said: “The way we’ve just gone (against Sunderland) we would have used it a bit more often against a flat back four. But the thing you’ve got to remember is that we’d been getting such good results by doing what we’ve been doing most of the way through. It’s definitely something to consider and keep in our locker.”

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