Paul Heckingbottom insists Sheffield United are making good progress

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom reasoned that a 2-0 win over fellow promotion hopefuls West Brom highlighted the progress his team has made since the start of the Championship season.

The Blades were thrashed 4-0 by the Baggies back in August, but Billy Sharp’s two goals, either side of a first-half Jake Livermore red card for the Midlanders, secured a fourth straight victory for the hosts.

It also represented a disappointing start for Steve Bruce in his first game in charge of the visitors, who Heckingbottom has no doubt will improve under the former Blades boss.

“They beat us down there and, if a team want to put the ball in your box, you can’t stop them, but tonight we won every first or second contact and all their efforts on goal came from outside the box, which was pleasing,” Heckingbottom said.

“Three points is everything and I’m pleased that we’ve got them against a top team with a good squad and a manager now who knows his way around this league better than anyone.

“It was a vital result for us because it’s moved us a point outside of the play-offs and it was three points taken from a team who will be up there and will only be moving upwards from now on.”

On Sharp’s match-winning contribution, which took his tally to four from the last three games, Heckingbottom added: “There’s no better man for chances to fall to and he’s back among the goals because of the energy we are playing with up there and the opportunities that’s creating.”

Bruce disagreed with referee Leigh Doughty’s decision to send off Livermore and suggested the club might appeal against the dismissal after arguing it changed the course of the contest.

“Up until the red card, even though we were a goal down, I thought we were the better