Sheffield United: Why Slavisa Jokanovic has leapt to his team's defence following back to back defeats

Despite finishing the latest round of matches with defeats to Middlesbrough and AFC Bournemouth, Jokanovic told The Star United are now a much more effective unit than the one which failed to win any of its opening five matches at the beginning of the season.

Identifying their improved performances in front of goal as a sign that confidence is returning following last term’s relegation from the Premier League, the Serb, whose side have netted 15 times in seven outings following August’s stalemate at Luton Town, said: “We are getting more people forward now. We are getting more people into the box, more people into the positions we need them to get into and that, of course, can only be a good thing.”

Despite acknowledging United were below par at the Riverside Stadium six days ago, Jokanovic blamed last weekend’s loss on the south coast on the match officials - arguing that both of Bournemouth’s efforts following Morgan Gibbs-White’s opener should have been disallowed.

“Unfortunately it will not happen every time, even though we will try, but I still believe we took a step forward,” Jokanovic said. “I thought, although it can still be improved of course, that the performance was good. That is the sensation that I got, even before going in more deeply. That is what my eyes told me.”