What Sheffield United boss made of Blades' shocking display in 4-1 Coventry City defeat

United, who had hammered Middlesbrough 4-1 in midweek to make a big statement of their promotion credentials, were on the wrong end of the same scoreline despite going ahead earlier in the game through Sander Berge’s header.

Wes Foderingham was the only player to emerge from any credit, despite shipping four goals, with a string of fine saves to prevent the scoreline becoming any more damaging.

Why stand-in City boss is still backing Blades for promotion despite 4-1 defeat

And Heckingbottom, whose side return to action on Wednesday evening at Blackpool, said: “No complaints.

“We were beaten by the better side but when I look at the goals we conceded, we didn’t half give them a helping hand.

“It says a lot about the game that Wes was our man of the match. That says it all.

“Too many of our players all had a bad day on the same day and when that happens, it makes it difficult. We couldn’t dig ourselves out of it and claw our way back in.

Blades player ratings from sorry defeat at Coventry

“We couldn’t create enough and they either countered on us or turned is with the long ball and played in and around our box.”

United were forced into two changes after yet more injuries robbed them of the services of John Fleck and Ben Davies, with teenagers Kacper Lopata and Oliver Arblaster making up a young bench also containing Iliman Ndiaye (22), Femi Seriki (18) and Daniel Jebbison (18).

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