Wilder makes his first return to S2 tonight for a match of key significance in the Championship play-off fight and sentiment is likely to be parked once the action gets under way.

Back in November, Boro and the Blades were in the equivalent of no-man's-land in mid-table of the Championship. Their form since has been eye-catching and they lie next to each other in the table and are firmly in the top-six shake-up.

Home form has buttressed the charge of both, with the Blades yet to lose on home soil during Heckingbottom's time in permanent charge. Boro, meanwhile, have won their last nine matches in all competitions on Teesside.

That said, their form on their travels is far more modest and they head to South Yorkshire on the back of a four-match winless league sequence, with Boro losing at Barnsley last time out.

While Boro's home form is the second best in the division, their away statistics are the 18th best.

Heckingbottom said: "Boro’s a good club and he (Wilder) looks to have done a lot of similar things to when he came in here they’re a good team and reflect him.

"They are in good form, (but) their away form isn’t as good as the home and we want to capitalise on that.

"They have been fortunate with injuries and suspensions and built a good understanding amongst the XI. I wouldn’t swap our players, we’ve got a good group, but we’ve got to respect how well they are playing and are coached. They’ve got some hungry individuals.

"We play with a front three, that’s a big difference, and the personnel. It’s good to have different people in and around the squad, it changes the dynamic."

George Baldock could return for United tonight, but a number of players remain sidelined including Enda Stevens, Chris Basham, Jayden Bogle, David McGoldrick and Rhian Brewster.

Charlie Goode is suspended.

One welcome returnee in the club's last game with Nottingham Forest was Ben Osborn, who came off the bench midway through the second half against his former club for his first appearance since mid-January following a hamstring injury.

Heckingbottom said: "He gives us good options. We’re that light on numbers that we could take a risk on someone and lose him for the season. We can’t do that. We’re delighted to have him back because he can play a lot of positions and give us a lot of options.

"We’d like to not have the injuries but we’re not going to moan about it, when we get the likes of Bash and Enda and Charlie back we’re stronger and have different people competing.

"We’d love to be in that spot but we're not and we don’t know when we will have them back."

Paul Heckingbottom on what Sheffield United can capitalise on against Chris Wilder's Middlesbrough FC