Sheffield United: Exciting prediction made about promotion chances

As he reflects upon Sheffield United’s start to the Championship season, which has seen them enter the World Cup break in second place despite being engulfed by a selection crisis, Paul Heckingbottom is even more convinced his squad can maintain its challenge for promotion over Christmas and New Year.

United claimed their fourth win in five outings at Cardiff City last weekend, despite seeing 12 senior players ruled out through either injury or illness. Scheduled to return to action on December 10th, when Huddersfield Town make the short journey to Bramall Lane, Heckingbottom hopes some of those who missed the trip to the Welsh capital will be declared fit for the meeting with Mark Fotheringham’s side.

And that has prompted him to issue an upbeat prediction about what the remainder of the campaign might have in store for United, as he attempts to steer the club back into the Premier League.

“For us to be where we are now, given everything that’s happened, we are only going to get better in my eyes,” Heckingbottom said. “We’ve done well so far but, for me, there’s even more to come from this group and that’s the belief they’ve got as well.”

“We as a staff, we’ve always had confidence in them,” he continued. “But they’ve had so much thrown at them and they’ve still put themselves out there and got results. That tells you something about them - not only their character but also the ability through the group as well. I don’t think, really, that we’ve seen the best of them yet because of all the changes and disruption we’ve had.”

United saw John Fleck, Anel Ahmedhodzic and Oli McBurnie, their joint-leading goalscorer this term, ruled-out of their visit to Cardiff ahead of kick-off. Already without the likes of Sander Berge, Max Lowe, Tommy Doyle, Jayden Bogle and Rhys Norrington-Davies, who was set to travel to Qatar with Wales until damaging a hamstring, Heckingbottom was forced to name two goalkeepers among his substitutes in order to fill the bench.

“The players have reacted, they’ve not felt sorry for themselves and they’ve got on with things,” said Heckingbottom. “I think, when people come back and we can look after them more, they’ll continue to develop as a group.”