Paul Heckingbottom says Sheffield United welcome pressure in Championship promotion race

The Blades have lost three of their last four Championship games to give hope to a chasing pack starting to run low on it.

Losing their game in hand at Reading on Tuesday will give in-form Middlesbrough 11 games to make up a four-point gap to the automatic promotion places. Winning will widen it to seven points.

For a side whose grip on second has started to look a little shakier recently, it is a pressure game. Manager Heckingbottom is relishing it.

"In my 18 months (as manager) I think we've done better when we've had pressure, when there's been an edge to us and we've had to perform," he argued. "I don't mind that feeling. I quite welcome that.

"Certainly we're a better team when we play with intensity and there's an edge to us. It's about managing that edge and controlling it.

"How does that intensity come across in your performance? Is it with energy, intensity and fire or does it dampen all that and come across as anxiety and caution?

"We've generally been on the good side of it. With the tension, the edge, the last-gasp chance has generally brought out the best of us so this last quarter of the season doesn't hold any fear for us.

"But we still need that element of fear because we're a good team when we play with that."

For the many teams still involved in the promotion and relegation pictures at this stage of a season, character is a big factor.

"We've all got different qualities as players but it's all about them producing what they do better than anyone else on that pitch," said Heckingbottom.

"Everyone has a role to perform and something they do better than anyone else on that pitch.

"I don't want there to be anything average about us as players or staff. I don't want us to be one of those teams where you say, 'We could have won that or should have.'"

Also giving Heckingbottom confidence is the return of John Fleck, who has played four times since recovering from complications after breaking his leg in November.

Fleck has won two promotions with the Blades as they went from League One to the Premier League under Chris Wilder and impressed Heckingbottom with his character when the former Barnsley and Leeds United manager took over as caretaker in March 2021.

“It was straight away after coming in when I realised what type of guy John is,” said Heckingbottom. “I’d come in without even really having a chance to speak to the lads and we got beaten pretty heavily at Leicester City which carried on what was a difficult Premier League season.

"The next day, at training, we wanted a reset. Right from that minute, I remember looking around the group and you could just see this dead-eyed look on John’s face – he knew what it was all about and he stood up massively. That told me straight away what he was all about, the type of character he was.”

The Blades have no fresh injuries. Enda Stevens will stay at home to continue training towards his return from injury.

Last six games: Sheffield United LWWLLW; Reading LWLWLD

Referee: A Backhouse (Carlisle)

Last time: Reading 0 Sheffield United 1, November 23, 2021, Championship