Sheffield United: Boss' response when asked if there is a better attack in the Championship
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But with Oli McBurnie showing signs of getting back to his best and Rhian Brewster also on a roster completed by Reda Khadra, Daniel Jebbison and of course the irrepressible Billy Sharp, Heckingbottom did admit that unleashing the potential of a strikeforce which will be the envy of most second tier managers could hold the key to United’s hopes on securing promotion.
”They have to be performing, and that’s what I say to them,” he said. “The good thing is we have had Rhian and Iliman having the majority of the minutes at the start of the season and Reda and Oli Mac came on in the last game and did well.”
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Hide AdDuring the first fortnight of the new campaign, United’s forward line was able to avoid being affected by the injury issues which saw the likes of Ciaran Clark, Ben Osborn and Chris Basham miss the recent draw with Middlesbrough, although the latter did return to face Rovers. But during that match, Sharp sustained an ankle injury which Heckingbottom later conceded is more serious than first believed. United’s refusal to confirm ahead of Rovers’ visit exactly how serious has inevitably raised concerns he faces a prolonged period on the sidelines.
Appointed in November, Heckingbottom continued: "We have young Jebbo and Bill who has picked up an injury - that’s my point: At any point it can change.
“When I took over this club had a lot of forwards, but they need to be firing. That’s the job.”
“If I am going to make the best of the resources we have got when the club has spent a lot of money on attacking players,” he continued, “Then part of the remit is trying to get the best out of them.”