Tommy Doyle on how Sheffield United 'rival' is assisting him in favourite role

Oliver Norwood was left out of a Championship starting line-up for the first time this season when the Blades travelled to Sunderland for a crucial league game earlier this month.

Although Doyle scored the winning goal from a free-kick, it was the quality of his all-round performance which was most important.

Doyle reproduced the winner and the performance four days later to guide the Blades into an FA Cup semi-final.

And afterwards he revealed his debt to serial promotion-winner Norwood.

"Ollie's been brilliant with me, he always gets round me before the game and in training," said 21-year-old Doyle, on loan from Manchester City. "He texts me and just keeps me ready and focused.

"From somebody like him who's played loads and loads of games it’s nice."

For most of the campaign Doyle has been the ball-winner alongside Norwood, but he enjoys the responsibility of taking it off the back three and starting attacks.

"I'm used to that role, I grew up playing in that position so it's not something I'm not used to, there's just little tweaks the manager wants of me defensively," said Doyle, whose grandfathers both played for Manchester City. "Just getting on the ball I think suits my game to try and play forward.

"I've got Macca (fellow City loanee James McAtee) and I know where he's going to be at all times. Sometimes when he's tired he's not there but when he's firing I know where he's going to be, same with Iliman (Ndiaye), he's going to drop off.

"When you get two players like that on the half-turn driving at defences, that's where the magic happens.

"I just want to be there to feed them as much as I can and chip in now and again with a goal and an assist or whatever I can do to help."

What is for certain is that 31-year-old Norwood, who has won promotion to the Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion, Fulham and Sheffield United, will still have a part to play on the field this season.

The Blades have 10 matches to play in the final 37 days of the Championship season and Norwood can already bank on playing in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley because Doyle is ineligible to face Manchester City.