The reason behind Sheffield United striker Daniel Jebbison's resurgence is identified
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The teenage centre-forward, whose performances have provided a welcome distraction from the club’s problems off the pitch, enters this weekend’s FA Cup tie at Wrexham having scored twice in his last three outings for Heckingbottom’s side.
Standing well over six feet tall and boasting an explosive turn of pace, Jebbison burst onto the scene two years ago when he became the youngster player to score on their full Premier league debut during a match at Everton.
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Hide AdAfter spending time on loan at Burton Albion and recovering from the injury which impeded his progress at the beginning of the campaign, Jebbison is now fulfilling the potential he displayed at Goodison Park - something Heckingbottom attributes to his new-found confidence and increased maturity.
“That, his power and how difficult he can be to handle, is what can set Daniel apart,” he told The Star. “He’s very athletic and he’s learning how to use that athleticism now. It’s no good being the quickest around if you don’t know how to exploit that. He’s starting to do it now and I’m pleased with how he’s doing and it’s got to continue.”
MORE: Jebbison shows his worth
On target when United beat Millwall to set up their fourth round clash in north Wales, Jebbison netted the winning goal during last week’s victory over Hull City; a result which saw them finish the latest round of league matches ranked second and 13 points clear of third. Despite making strong progress on the pitch, United are grappling with a series of issues off it after being prohibited from signing new players because of a debt relating to a previous transfer deal. Owner Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, whose representatives are holding talks with the creditor concerned in an attempt to get the embargo lifted, is also locked in negotiations about selling United at a critical stage of the season.
“Daniel gives us that ability to play with a stretch,” said Heckingbottom, who could also call upon Oli McBurnie at the Racecourse Ground following his return to fitness. “He got in behind the opposition well.”