Sheffield United 'expected' to beat Spurs, insists Manchester City loanee Tommy Doyle

Those who wear the sky blue of City, certainly in Pep Guardiola's world, expect to win every time they step onto the field.

There is confidence, but it does not border on arrogance. Every game is invariably a big one too.

Regardless of his very limited experience, Doyle is no different.

Manchester born and the grandson of two Blues legends in Mike Doyle and Glyn Pardoe, Doyle's mindset has not changed in the slightest despite temporarily moving to Sheffield United on a season-long loan.

The Championship side faced a big opponent with some big names from the Premier League in Spurs at Bramall Lane on Wednesday night in a fifth-round FA Cup tie and proved that reputations count for nothing.

Doyle expected to win and it is an attitude of mind that would surely have down well with his late grandfathers had they been watching.

His authoritative performance will have certainly resonated with many back across the Pennines in front of a nationwide TV audience in the Blades' merited win.

For Doyle, there was momentary enjoyment before the result was parked and focus quickly turned to Saturday's Roses trip to a second-tier rival in Blackburn Rovers, who United will also face in a cup quarter-final later this month.

He said: "I expected us to win and that's the confidence I had in the lads. It's a mentality thing. There's no point playing football if you don't believe you are going to win. There's no point going out there. I always believe we can win, no matter who we play against.

"We performed really well and felt comfortable. We were aggressive off the ball and on it, played great passes and were calm and composed.

"We will enjoy it and then focus on another big game at the weekend. They come thick and fast, don't they. You can't think about it too much."

Handed responsibility as the 'senior man' in central midfield with Oli Norwood and John Fleck on the bench alongside Sander Berge, Doyle performed like someone with an old head on young shoulders.

Alongside him were two rookies in Ismaila Coubaily, making just his second start and Andre Brooks, 19, who started this season on loan at non-league Bradford (Park Avenue). He was handed a shock full debut.

Two seasoned campaigners - and Blades legends - at opposite ends of the pitch in Chris Basham and Billy Sharp helped provide the seniority.

Long in the tooth they may be, but they displayed the enthusiasm of giddy teenagers on Wednesday and thoroughly enjoyed themselves and why wouldn't they.

Doyle continued: "The young lads have a massive respect for the older guys for what they have done for football and us. Bash was unbelievable and made some unbelievable tackles, driving forward.

"They are still performing at the top level and as a young lad looking at them work, it gives you an extra 10 per cent to work even harder and back them up.

"Everyone just loves to play football and even lads like Bash and Sharp, who have been here for ages, help us a lot and are just like kids themselves.

"Every day they train properly and enjoy football and you need that and lads like that pull us through."

Assessing his own performance, which put the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg firmly in the shade, he added: "I put a lot of responsibility on myself and I'd say I was probbaly the most experienced in that midfield, despite being so young.

"I wanted to take on responsibility and try and put on a performance where the young lads look around in midfield and it gives them a boost."

Despite moving on mentally after the events of Wednesday ahead of a key test at Ewood Park, Doyle is the first to admit that thoughts of stepping out in a potential Cup semi-final at Wembley in April - should United progress later this month - have crossed his mind, understandably.

Given his family history, it's hardly surprising.

His paternal grandfather Mike Doyle and maternal grandfather Pardoe played at the home of football for City in the late 1960s and 1970s.

The former captained City in their League Cup final triumph against Newcastle United in February 1976 and lifted the trophy, with the 47th anniversary of that glory day arriving on Tuesday, the day before his grandson took to the stage with the Blades in one of the biggest moments of his career thus far.

Doyle said: "You dream of it, don't you (playing at Wembley). Growing up, you watch games at Wembley.

"I have had the pleasure of seing tapes of my grandad play at Wembley as well. That's even more of an incentive for me to do it myself.

"It's massive and exciting more than anything. We win it (the quarter-final) and we go to Wembley and that's really exciting."