Crewe v Sheffield United: Blades will be out to make belated amends

The Blades, who broke into the top six for the first time in midweek, travel to Crewe Alexandra.

Gresty Road was where United crashed to a 3-0 defeat last February, a result and performance so poor that Clough called a players’ meeting two days later and demanded, ‘Is this what it is going to be like?’

Victory over Fulham in the 
FA Cup later that same week gave Clough his answer and after losing at Crewe, United embarked on a 10-game winning run to soar up the League One table and reach the last four of the Cup.

Clough said: “I would say it was our rock bottom moment. We went into the bottom two or three that day. We have had a few good results, but that was the low point.

“I can’t remember ever getting a positive result there over the years.”

The Railwaymen endured a tough start to this season, but have rallied in recent weeks courtesy of a trio of victories.

Clough, who celebrated his first anniversary in charge at Bramall Lane earlier this week, added: “Crewe are a good team at home and knock it around (well) at home. Having gone so many without winning, to win three on the spin is testament to them.

“Speaking about ourselves, we should have won three games in a row as well.

“The Leyton Orient game (that finished 2-2 after the London club equalised deep into stoppage time), we played well in that. But this is an opportunity to cement our place in the top six.”

United’s victories over Bradford City and Yeovil Town in the last week mean they travel to Crewe in buoyant mood.