Sheffield United ready to seize momentum and chase down Championship automatic promotion spot, says Billy Sharp

His team was 16th in the table when former Barnsley and Leeds United manager Heckingbottom replaced the sacked Slavisa Jokanovic but only Fulham’s form has been better since, matching Huddersfield Town’s points tally with a better goal difference and from one fewer game.

Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Middlesbrough closed the gap to second-placed Bournemouth to five points and although the Cherries have two games in hand, captain Sharp says the Blades are coming after them.

“It’s about staying in there and putting pressure on second place,” he said.

“Bournemouth dropped points and we know everyone’s starting to play each other now so as long as we’re not the ones dropping points, we can keep that run going and keep our momentum up.

“Two points per game is promotion form but we’re just trying to get as many points as we can.

“Team spirit in the camp at the minute is back where it was before.”

It was the nature of the performance as much as the scale of the victory over another side who are making a belated push for promotion that impressed after Friday’s 1-1 draw at home to Nottingham Forest.

“It was important we played well because I thought against Forest we were sloppy in the first half, but the first half on Tuesday, that was the best we’ve been - off the ball, definitely,” said Sharp, who had a hand in the opening goal before scoring the second.

“We were on the front foot winning individual battles and second balls and we created momentum in the first 20 minutes.

“Everyone was backing each other up and we created a lot of chances.

“The disappointing thing was we didn’t get more goals but you can’t be too greedy, it was a great three points and we’ve got another game on Saturday where it’s going to be tough.

“In training we try and play on the front foot, energetic, and when we do that it creates chances for me, Morgs (Morgan Gibbs-White), Sander (Berge) and Flecky (John Fleck) going forward. I don’t think it was that pretty in the first 10, 15 minutes but we were just getting on second balls and playing in their final third, which created momentum.”

The positivity delighted Heckingbottom.

“We want to play in a way I enjoy watching,” he said. “I think it’s really important not to take a backward step.

“There’ll be times when we give chances away playing that way but it’s risk-reward and it is a shift in the game, it is changing that way.

“I enjoy that, I think the players enjoy playing that way.

“It’s pointless me saying be brave, take the ball on, and the first time they make a mistake or give it away, dropping them for it.

“The message would be if you don’t want to get on the ball you don’t play.”