Sheffield United aren't focusing on mistakes ahead of Sunderland - and here's why

After losing four of their last six league outings, United are still second in the table but now only four points ahead of third-placed Middlesbrough following last weekend’s defeat by Luton Town. With Michael Carrick’s side facing Stoke City tonight, that gap could have slimmed still further by the time United travel to Sunderland tomorrow.

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Despite describing the performance against Town as “the furthest away from what I want us to be since coming here”, Heckingbottom, who took charge 16 months ago, is confident his players can mentally reset and rediscover their old flamboyance.

Asked how he plans to instigate that process, the United manager told The Star: “It’s just about being honest. Honesty and clarity, those are the keys. Looking back at everything (against Luton), that was a million miles away from what we can be. It’s on me to put things right.”

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Although United’s first team squad briefly discussed the weekend’s events before yesterday’s training session at the Randox Health Academy, Heckingbottom added: “We aren’t focusing on mistakes. We need players to get on the ball and drive it forward. I’m not going to have a go at anyone if they do that and make a mistake. They aren’t going to get it from me, certainly.

“Earlier this season, when Sunderland came to us, there was one move when we had John Egan playing a long diagonal ball up towards their box and we had another centre-half, Rhys Norrington-Davies, getting on the end of it. That’s what we want to get back to and we do that through being focused and honest about who we want to be.”

Although Norrington-Davies, Rhian Brewster and Enda Stevens are still recovering from injuries, United travel to Wearside with the same squad of players which faced Rob Edwards’ team after reporting no fresh fitness issues.

“Everyone came in determined to put that result right,” Heckingbottom said. “Everyone was champing at the bit to do that. We want to take more risks because, when we do that, we tend to win games. If we do that, take risks, and we don’t win games then so be it.”

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