Fulham guard of honour and Paul Heckingbottom updates among Sheffield United's final day plans

Paul Heckingbottom says Sheffield United will honour Fulham with a guard of honour as they take to the Bramall Lane pitch later today. However, focus will then swiftly turn to the task in hand.

Destiny is in United's hands as they kick off the final day in fifth place. Victory and they will secure a two-legged tie against either Huddersfield Town or Nottingham Forest. Anything less than three points and it's a nervous glance over their shoulders at what those sides below are doing.

Paul Heckingbottom insists he will not allow any distractions among his players or coaching staff as they look to get the win needed and has banned all talk of scorelines and attempts to find out. However, there will be one person tasked with feeding him the scores late on should he need to manage a scenario in the closing stages.

With the visitors having been crowned champions on Monday, it's set up to be a mouth-watering fixture and a thrilling final day with four teams vying for two places. Heckingbottom says Marco Silva's men deserve the respect they will be shown ahead of kick-off but Sheffield United will then get down to business.

"Yeah we will do [guard of honour]," he told Yorkshire Live. "Out of respect. It's a big thing what Fulham have achieved.

"I can't say I am not jealous, we would all love to be in their position, but we acknowledge how well they have done. Marco, Stuart [Gray], Luis [Boa Morte] and the team have been great, so as a mark of respect we will but it won't take anything from our performance and how we want to perform in the game.

"We have our own agendas but we acknowledge also what they have achieved."

Although the fortunes of Luton and Middlesbrough especially will be important if United don't get the win they