Express & Star

Paul Heckingbottom targeting points in 'cup final' against Wolves

Paul Heckingbottom is preparing his Sheffield United side for a ‘cup final’ against Wolves as they look to change their fortunes at the bottom of the Premier League.

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Paul Heckingbottom. Picture: Steven Paston/PA Wire.

The Blades sit at the foot of the table with one point in 10 games, after their 5-0 loss to Arsenal at the weekend.

But with Wolves coming up next tomorrow and games with Bournemouth and Burnley on the horizon, Heckingbottom has warned his side they must begin to pick up results and save their season.

“Points need to be got,” Heckingbottom said.

“We are competing in the bottom part of the league and we have played a lot of teams in the top 10, but we are coming into a little spell now of playing teams in and around us. They are our cup finals. They are games that we need to win.

“A trip to the Emirates will not define our season. We’ve not prepared for that. But the games coming up, against the teams in the bottom half of the season, will. The fans know they’ve got a group of staff and players who are giving everything and will continue to do that.

“Big opportunities in these games coming up and who we have available or not available is irrelevant. We have to try and get the points. These are the games we’ve been waiting for. As frustrated as I am with some bits of the game, especially in the second half, next week becomes more important now.”

Although the head coach did not give a timeline for his return, United are expected to be without Oli McBurnie tomorrow after the striker injured his groin in the defeat to Manchester United recently.

Heckingbottom said: “We think we’re going somewhere and we start again on a Monday morning. Hopefully everyone came through this okay and we know what we’ve got, what we’re working with, for this game against Wolves.”