Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom visits his former side Sheffield United on Saturday (15:00 GMT) as the Blades look to stay in an automatic promotion spot. Heckingbottom earned promotion with the South Yorkshire side in 2023 but departed the club after two years in charge when the Blades hit the bottom of the Premier League the following December.

It certainly risks slipping into cliche territory but the Blades now have 11 cup finals to determine the fate of their season, having done remarkably well to overcome the disaster that was last term in the top-flight and banish any fear of a relegation hangover.

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Nit-picking can be a compliment to a side in Sheffield United ’s exalted position. Goals from strikers, for instance - one area that has much power to add in the run-in. And arguably needs to improve if the Blades are to clinch automatic promotion.

Kieffer Moore has reacted to Connor Roberts after Burnley moved to within two points of Sheffield United in the promotion race.

Sheffield United have offered a trial to highly-rated Partick Thistle prospect Jack Braid, Football League World has learned

Ethan Wheatley has signed a new three-year contract with Manchester United with the option of a further year. The 19-year-old striker’s previous deal was due to expire at the end of next season. Wheatley is currently on loan at Walsall but has only made three appearances for the League Two leaders since joining during the January transfer window.

SHEFFIELD UNITED manager Chris Wilder admits that ‘a little bit of luck’ will come into the equation to determine who finishes in the Championship's two automatic promotion places in 2024-25.

No less than eight clubs are represented in our latest Yorkshire Post Team of the Week. It proved a super Saturday with virtually every White Rose side winning, with Leeds United being the ones who had to settle for a draw, hardly a disaster by any means.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has drawn a Liverpool comparison in providing his take on Leeds United’s lead being cut into by his Blades. Wilder’s second-placed side were handed a new chance to close back in on Daniel Farke’s table-topping Whites after Leeds were held to a 1-1 draw in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off at home to West Brom.

If Sheffield United manage to achieve promotion to the Premier League next season, they will face a daunting challenge with survival far from guaranteed. After securing promotion in the 2022/23 campaign, the Blades failed to quickly adapt to the top-flight’s demands, and this was mainly down to their poor recruitment in the summer of 2023.

Former Leeds United midfielder David Prutton has shared his belief that Sunderland could elbow their way into the automatic promotion spots this season. The Sky Sports presenter feels that top teams like the Whites, Sheffield United and Burnley are not untouchable in the race for the Premier League.