Sheffield United: Prepartions for return to action gear up with friendly game

The match, which is set to take place behind closed doors at the New York Stadium, sees Paul Heckingbottom’s squad enter the latest phase of their planning for a crucial period in the domestic fixture schedule.

Second in the table, three points behind leaders Burnley and two ahead of third placed Blackburn Rovers, United hope to consolidate their grip on the automatic promotion berths when Huddersfield Town visit Bramall Lane next weekend.

Heckingbottom told The Star before United’s win over Cardiff City that he planned to arrange “a couple” of private matches ahead of the meeting with Mark Fotheringham’s side. Although Rotherham are in the same division, the geographical proximity between the two clubs has convinced Heckingbottom and his coaching staff that facing their near neighbours should prove a worthwhile exercise.

“We aren’t viewing the break as a holiday, we can’t do that,” Heckingbottom explained. “We don’t want it to be like a pre-season, when everyone comes back after not playing any football. Rest is important, mentally and physically. But we also want to be firing on all cylinders when we come back.”

United are expected to use the meeting with Rotherham to help ease the likes of Sander Berge, John Fleck, Tommy Doyle and Max Lowe back into action following injury lay-offs. A final decision on which members of their first team squad are involved will be taken ahead of kick-off.