Sheffield United: Paul Heckingbottom sounds a warning about the Championship table
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After winning three and drawing one of their five outings so far this term, United travel to Kenilworth Road knowing that a win will guarantee they remain at the summit following the latest round of games.
Although Heckingbottom accepts his squad now “have a target” on their backs - and that rival managers will use their position to inspire their own teams - he insisted no one at Bramall Lane is taking any notice of the rankings ahead of a fixture which pits them against opponents who also reached the play-off semi-finals last season.
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“Top? It doesn’t mean anything,” Heckingbottom said. “Not to me or the lads, not right now anyway.
“Nathan (Jones, the Luton manager) can talk it up it if he wants and so can they. I realise that it means we probably have a target on our backs now, so perhaps it is significant in that respect.
“But it definitely isn’t significant with regards to our approach, which isn’t going to change one bit.”
“The same thing goes for our attitude,” he added. “We are preparing for a tough game. I’ve enjoyed watching the lads go about their business so far and I want that to continue.”
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Unlike United, Luton have made a slow start to the present campaign and have prepared for the contest in 18th position. However Jones, who is expected to include former United midfielder Luke Freeman in his eleven, saw them beat Swansea City last weekend. United moved a point clear of second placed Watford, the only club to beat them since league competition resumed, when they dispatched Blackburn Rovers 3-0.
“Luton can be direct but they are very progressive with every pass they play,” Heckingbottom said. “They’ll try to test us out and standing up to that is going to be a big part of our performance.”
Despite their impressive results of late, United have yet to win on the road this season; losing at Vicarage Road and drawing with Middlesbrough.
“We don’t need an away win because a point is a point,” Heckingbottom reminded. “But yes, there’s no better feeling than winning away from home.
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Hide Ad“Even so, until you start getting four for doing that, I’m not personally bothered how or where the points come from. So long as we get them.”
Heckingbottom must decide whether or not to recall Iliman Ndiaye in Bedfordshire, after watching the Senegal international score twice against Rovers after being summoned from the bench. Oli McBurnie and Reda Khadra, who began the game, laid the foundations for a victory with impressive performances of their own.
“Luton will have wanted better results lately, I know that,” Heckingbottom said. “But they have got that intensity without the ball back and so those are going to come you would think. We just have to make sure it’s not now because it’s always a very tough place to go and play football.”