Why rival manager isn't surprised to see Sheffield United's rise up table - despite 'timewasting' talk

The Blades’ bid for an instant return to the Premier League began badly this season, leading to manager Slavisa Jokanović losing his job last month with his side firmly in the bottom half of the table.

But three wins in his successor Paul Heckingbottom’s last three games, and four in four overall, have catapulted the Blades up the league table and they travel to Preston North End on Boxing Day 11th, and more crucially just three points behind sixth-placed Stoke City.

Victory at Craven Cottage was hard earned but deserved, as United kept the free-scoring league leaders at bay after a moment of magic from Iliman Ndiaye lit up the contest.

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Aleksandar Mitrović hit the bar in injury time – with Heckingbottom believing the in-form Serb had scored – while Silva hinted a couple of times in his post-match press conference about his dissatisfaction at what he perceived to be some underhand tactics to see out the game.

“It's not a surprise to me that they’re achieving some results,” the Portuguese said.

“Because you look through their squad and see the solutions they have. They didn’t start the competition well, but have showed a reaction.

“They’re fighting for what they want and we had to do the same. They had a lucky moment to score the goal and they wasted some time as well, which the referee allowed them to do.

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“It’s up to the referee to not allow that situation. When you win a game you are happy and when you don’t… congratulations to them but it wasn’t a good match for the people at home to enjoy.

“We will analyse it and prepare to win the next one.”

United, playing their first game in over two weeks after the postponement of last Monday’s clash with QPR because of Covid-19 issues in the visitors’ camp, return to Bramall Lane after the Preston clash to face Hull City, also hosting Chris Wilder’s Middlesbrough on New Year’s Day.

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