Sheffield United players handed reminder following Millwall defeat amid team selection issue

Paul Heckingbottom believes yesterday's 1-0 defeat at Millwall will serve as a timely reminder ahead of their next fixture at home to Nottingham Forest.

The Blades fell well short of the performance levels set in recent weeks as Jake Cooper headed the only goal to secure all three points for the home side.

The defeat brought to an end an impressive unbeaten run spanning nine games and was only the second in 14 league matches under Heckingbottom.

To add further context, Cooper's header was the first goal in nine hours Sheffield United have conceded during a period that had seen them climb right into the play-off picture.

Heckingbottom revealed afterwards that the most disappointing aspect was the fact that the performance level had dropped but revealed he chose his full-time words carefully to remind his players about the need to remember what has paved the way for their good form.

"I have told the lads we have to use this as a reminder," he said.

"If we look at where we were to where we are now everyone would snatch your hand off, everyone.

"We understand what has got us there, why we have been on a good run and why we have been scoring goals, why we have been keeping clean sheets but this was a reminder that you have to be at it every game in this league.

"You are playing good teams every week who all cause their own problems and look to stop you and beat you in their own ways but we have still been doing all those tiny little details that have been getting us points in these games, or getting us the three.

"Today we came unstuck."

United were surprisingly flat given the euphoria of Wednesday night's dramatic late win and they lacked a midfield spark and creativity.

It was hoped Iliman Ndiaye would provide that,