"Need to do more" - Struggling Sheffield United's big area for improvement identified ahead of Burnley trip

Sheffield United's players have been told that they all must "do more" to turn their fortunes around after Saturday's sorry defeat to Bournemouth saw more doom and gloom envelop Bramall Lane. The Blades were distinctly second best in a 3-1 defeat to their relegation rivals, with Luton's victory over Crystal Palace opening the gap to safety to four points.

The manner of United's defeat was more concerning than the loss itself, with United struggling to get going in a game of such magnitude. The reasons to be buoyed were plentiful - four points from two games before the break, Everton's points deduction only boosting their survival hopes - but that didn't transfer to the pitch or the stands and United's players can have no complaints about the boos that greeted the final whistle.

All eyes now turn to this weekend's trip to Burnley, which could be seismic both in terms of United's season and the future of boss Paul Heckingbottom. Saturday saw calls for his job increase amongst supporters and many more placid performances like this one will only increase the pressure on owner Prince Abdullah to make a change.

"We have to keep believing," said defender Auston Trusty, who, to his credit, fronted up to the media on such a disappointing afternoon. "We've had good moments so we have to keep going. I had a good feeling going into this game on the back of two good performances for us and two good results.

"We set up to win and be aggressive and take advantage of every opportunity, it just didn't go our way. Yes, it's unfortunate and disappointing that we lost this game but we have to keep grinding. Everyone has to do one or two per cent more. Anything you can give more we have to show it, both collectively and individually."

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Slow starts have become something of a feature of United's games of late. Heckingbottom's men recovered to post positive results against Wolves and Brighton before the break and may well have fancied their chances of doing similar here, before Wes Foderingham's mistake on the stroke of half-time allowed Justin Kluivert to make it 2-0 and all-but end the game as a contest.

"That's something we have to get better at," admitted Trusty, when asked about United's struggles to compete in the first half of late. "From the first whistle we need to be on it. It's let us down in a few games in the past and that just can't happen. We set up to win and be aggressive and take advantage of every opportunity. It just didn't go our way."