What rival managers have said about Sheffield United this season, including Burnley, Middlesbrough - gallery

Football writer

Published 22nd Mar 2023, 16:24 BST

Updated 22nd Mar 2023, 16:25 BST

With six weeks or so remaining of the Championship season, Sheffield United are still in pole position to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League.

The Blades are three points clear of third-placed Middlesbrough, with a game in hand over Michael Carrick’s men, ahead of their return to Championship action on April 1 away at Norwich City.

Blades star speaks after being caught up in “unacceptable” ‘spy storm’

Any hopes United had of catching leaders Burnley have gone, with Vincent Kompany's men 13 points clear at the top and 16 clear of Boro in third. But it is shaping up to be a memorable season for the Blades, as they prepare for an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley in a month's time.

Here’s what a number of their rivals’ managers have said about the Blades this season, either before or after a game against the Blades, in reverse table order...

Sheffield United are aiming for automatic promotion from the Championship this season

. Up the Blades?

Sheffield United are aiming for automatic promotion from the Championship this season Photo: Andrew Yates

These two teams [United and Burnley] are dominating at the moment. But there is a long way to go in this league. Both teams have very talented managers. Sheffield United are really good at set-pieces. They press you hard and it is difficult to find space. They are strong and you can see this is a team that believe in themselves.

. Kolo Toure (ex-Wigan)

These two teams [United and Burnley] are dominating at the moment. But there is a long way to go in this league. Both teams have very talented managers. Sheffield United are really good at set-pieces. They press you hard and it is difficult to find space. They are strong and you can see this is a team that believe in themselves. Photo: Matt McNulty

They showed the reason why they are where they are, the quality in the box they’ve got going forward, but they also showed it defensively as well. They recognised when to defend early, when to get the blocks in, when to see things out and at times we kept asking questions, but they came up with the right answers a lot of the time.

. Michael Appleton (ex-Blackpool)

They showed the reason why they are where they are, the quality in the box they’ve got going forward, but they also showed it defensively as well. They recognised when to defend early, when to get the blocks in, when to see things out and at times we kept asking questions, but they came up with the right answers a lot of the time. Photo: Lewis Storey

Sheffield United's a massive club in stature. They've got a very good coach, a man I respect He's doing exceptionally well with a fantastic squad there and we'll give them all the respect they deserve. Paul's a very good coach and he seems like a very nice man as well. He's doing a fantastic job at Sheffield United under big pressure because … their budget's so high and they've got that type of player that is very determined to play in the Premier League.

. Mark Fotheringham (ex-Huddersfield)

Sheffield United's a massive club in stature. They've got a very good coach, a man I respect He's doing exceptionally well with a fantastic squad there and we'll give them all the respect they deserve. Paul's a very good coach and he seems like a very nice man as well. He's doing a fantastic job at Sheffield United under big pressure because … their budget's so high and they've got that type of player that is very determined to play in the Premier League. Photo: Ashley Allen

They’re a good team. Under Heckingbottom, they’re full of energy, they’ve got some really good players in that team as well. Sheffield United will bring an intensity, a non-stop game that’s going to be high-energy and we’ve got to match and go beyond that. We're looking forward to it.

. Mark Hudson (ex-Cardiff City)

They’re a good team. Under Heckingbottom, they’re full of energy, they’ve got some really good players in that team as well. Sheffield United will bring an intensity, a non-stop game that’s going to be high-energy and we’ve got to match and go beyond that. We're looking forward to it. Photo: Ryan Hiscott

They’re the second best team in the league by a mile from what I’ve seen. They’ve got constant quality, and experience and know-how for the level. They’re so hard to break down, they’re strong in both boxes, they’re excellent at set-pieces and they’ve got more ways of winning a game than just their plan A.

. Matt Taylor (Rotherham United)

They’re the second best team in the league by a mile from what I’ve seen. They’ve got constant quality, and experience and know-how for the level. They’re so hard to break down, they’re strong in both boxes, they’re excellent at set-pieces and they’ve got more ways of winning a game than just their plan A. Photo: Matt McNulty

I thought Sheffield United were outstanding. They were excellent. Paul is a lucky man. Look at the group he has, with Sander and Ollie [Norwood] and Oli McBurnie and Iliman Ndiaye and Rhian Brewster, who I knew as a kid. Anyone who comes to Bramall Lane is going to have to defend well. Your centre backs will probably be man of the match and your midfielders will have to run a lot of hard yards. And when you get a chance you'll have to take it.

. Michael Beale (ex-QPR)

I thought Sheffield United were outstanding. They were excellent. Paul is a lucky man. Look at the group he has, with Sander and Ollie [Norwood] and Oli McBurnie and Iliman Ndiaye and Rhian Brewster, who I knew as a kid. Anyone who comes to Bramall Lane is going to have to defend well. Your centre backs will probably be man of the match and your midfielders will have to run a lot of hard yards. And when you get a chance you'll have to take it. Photo: Paul Harding

When you’re playing a team like Sheffield United, you give them one chance and ‘bang’, it’s 1-0. We had one mistake, one fine detail, and they go ‘bang-bang’ and score. That’s what you get when you pay that amount of money. They are an £80m team and this is a tough place to come. We’ll continue to make it like that and we gave as much as we got. There was nothing between the two teams. We were patched up at the start of the season and the likes of Norwood and Berge came down from the Premier League.

. Paul Ince (Reading)

When you’re playing a team like Sheffield United, you give them one chance and ‘bang’, it’s 1-0. We had one mistake, one fine detail, and they go ‘bang-bang’ and score. That’s what you get when you pay that amount of money. They are an £80m team and this is a tough place to come. We’ll continue to make it like that and we gave as much as we got. There was nothing between the two teams. We were patched up at the start of the season and the likes of Norwood and Berge came down from the Premier League. Photo: Clive Brunskill

Sheffield United are aiming for automatic promotion from the Championship this season

1. Up the Blades?

Sheffield United are aiming for automatic promotion from the Championship this season Photo: Andrew Yates

These two teams [United and Burnley] are dominating at the moment. But there is a long way to go in this league. Both teams have very talented managers. Sheffield United are really good at set-pieces. They press you hard and it is difficult to find space. They are strong and you can see this is a team that believe in themselves.

2. Kolo Toure (ex-Wigan)

These two teams [United and Burnley] are dominating at the moment. But there is a long way to go in this league. Both teams have very talented managers. Sheffield United are really good at set-pieces. They press you hard and it is difficult to find space. They are strong and you can see this is a team that believe in themselves. Photo: Matt McNulty

They showed the reason why they are where they are, the quality in the box they’ve got going forward, but they also showed it defensively as well. They recognised when to defend early, when to get the blocks in, when to see things out and at times we kept asking questions, but they came up with the right answers a lot of the time.

3. Michael Appleton (ex-Blackpool)

They showed the reason why they are where they are, the quality in the box they’ve got going forward, but they also showed it defensively as well. They recognised when to defend early, when to get the blocks in, when to see things out and at times we kept asking questions, but they came up with the right answers a lot of the time. Photo: Lewis Storey

Sheffield United's a massive club in stature. They've got a very good coach, a man I respect He's doing exceptionally well with a fantastic squad there and we'll give them all the respect they deserve. Paul's a very good coach and he seems like a very nice man as well. He's doing a fantastic job at Sheffield United under big pressure because … their budget's so high and they've got that type of player that is very determined to play in the Premier League.

4. Mark Fotheringham (ex-Huddersfield)

Sheffield United's a massive club in stature. They've got a very good coach, a man I respect He's doing exceptionally well with a fantastic squad there and we'll give them all the respect they deserve. Paul's a very good coach and he seems like a very nice man as well. He's doing a fantastic job at Sheffield United under big pressure because … their budget's so high and they've got that type of player that is very determined to play in the Premier League. Photo: Ashley Allen

Burnley Blades Middlesbrough Premier League Norwich City Manchester City

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