Sheffield United reminded Man City aren't 'superhuman' ahead of FA Cup semi-final

Second in the Championship table and on the verge of securing automatic promotion back to the Premier League, United enter the tie against Pep Guardiola’s treble-chasing squad as rank outsiders with Heckingbottom admitting “probably no one else on the planet” expects them to win at Wembley.

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The most expensively assembled collection of talent in the world game, Heckingbottom acknowledged Guardiola can still call upon “eleven top drawer internationals” if he decides to rotate his options following Wednesday’s victory over Bayern Munich.

But speaking as United prepare to set-off for London, Heckingbottom said: “They (City) are people, human beings. They are footballers. They just happen to be exceptional footballers. They’re not superhuman.

“It’s not fear. It’s not an aura. We just know we are playing against the best. That’s a better word, because that’s what they are. But in every single game, we want to win and we want to try our best.”

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United’s preparations for the highest profile assignment of their season so far received a boost last night when it emerged the transfer embargo they had been operating under for the majority of the year had been lifted. Four days after locking horns with City, United face West Bromwich Albion at Bramall Lane knowing that a victory would secure their return to the top-flight next term.

Describing the clash against Guardiola’s men as a “measure” of what might be to come, Heckingbottom said: “We have to have our own identity, We have to reflect the area we represent for the fans to feel a part of it. No matter how much success we have, I think we’d still have to be approachable and down to earth because that’s what our area is like.”

United have lost all of their last four games against City, but three of those defeats have come by a single goal.

“We’ve looked at the other games and, when you do that, you see more things that City do right than wrong,” Heckingbottom said. “But there also needs to be a clarity from us."

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