Sheffield United: Team mates urged to emulate George Baldock as challenge set

Having drawn a blank in 20 outings for both club and country this term, Baldock’s solo effort against Cardiff City briefly propelled United to the top of the table before Burnley replaced them following a win over Blackburn Rovers.

Despite being troubled by a hamstring complaint in recent weeks, Baldock has remained one of the most enterprising players at Heckingbottom’s disposal - with his willingness to operate at both ends of the pitch crucial to how the 45-year-old wants United to operate.

With that in mind, Baldock has now been told he should find the back of the net on a more regular basis once Bramall Lane’s medical department have addressed his fitness issue.

“We want him to get more goals and assists, because that’s the quality he’s got,” said Heckingbottom. “He can score them and he can create them, because of the positions he gets himself into. It’s exactly how we want our wing-backs to operate, and he can definitely do it.”

Baldock’s ability to influence United’s work in the attacking third could prove crucial as they attempt to build upon their encouraging start to the campaign - particularly given Heckingbottom’s problems on the left flank where Max Lowe and Rhys Norrington-Davies are both undergoing treatment for fitness issues.

Explaining why Baldock’s finish in the Welsh capital is exactly the “type of goal” he wants to see United “get more of”, Heckingbottom continued: “The best ones, for me, are always the ones that don’t come from a pass. George got up the pitch, took the ball off their guy and then slotted it away, which shows the mentality he had out there. When you see those types of goals, you know your team has got that determination to try and force things and get on the front foot instead of just reacting. And that is what I want us to be like all the way through, because it’s when we’re at our best for me.”