Sheffield United make important pledge to the rest of the Championship

United play their final home match of the campaign tomorrow, when play-off chasing Preston North End visit Bramall Lane, before completing their schedule for 2022/23 with visits to Huddersfield Town and Birmingham City.

Town, who United face on Thursday, are embroiled in a battle for survival at the other end of the division meaning the outcomes of both that fixture and their clash with Ryan Lowe’s side are of huge significance to a number of other clubs.

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But Paul Heckingbottom said: “We’ll prepare the same, We’ll work just as hard. We’ll try and win every game. We have a duty to do that for the league.”

Despite telling his players to celebrate their achievement following Wednesday night’s victory over West Bromwich Albion, which guaranteed they will finish as runners-up behind leaders Burnley, Heckingbottom has made no attempt to disguise the fact he will take a dim view of anyone he suspects of ‘taking their foot off the pedal’ - particularly as that could lead to accusatory fingers being pointed in his direction by rival managers. Those whose clubs are in direct competing with Preston and Town, who are led by Neil Warnock, can take encouragement from the fact United are particularly sensitive to their obligations between now and their appearance at St Andrews after Heckingbottom’s predecessor criticised Liverpool for fielding what he claimed was a weakened team during the closing stages of the 2006/07 PL season. Their loss to Fulham, on the penultimate weekend of the campaign, left United, already reeling from the ‘Carlos Tevez Affair’, facing a tougher challenge to stay up than might otherwise have been the case. It was one they failed to complete, being relegated after a defeat to fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic.

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“We don’t have anyone on our coat tails anymore,” admitted Heckingbottom. “So that drive is going to be tested even more, I get that. But it’s a drive we’re going to have, we’re going to keep it, because we want to win football matches. We have to keep it in different ways, if you like. That mentality doesn’t change. It’s something we demand of ourselves all the time. We have all the way through.”

Lowe, whose men have prepared for the contest ranked 10th but only two points behind sixth placed Sunderland, last night warned them to expect no favours from United.

"We'll find out on Saturday, won't we?!" he said. "I hope they are still partying today, that's for sure!

“We'll have to wait and see because you can look at it and think that they are quite relaxed now - so they will play with freedom and nothing is on the game. Whereas I thought their first half (against WBA) was a little bit cagey.”

Heckingbottom, who could still choose to make changes for the fixture, said: “We go in with the same mentality as always.”

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