Sheffield United players told to avoid 'biggest mistake' amid Hull City reminder

Paul Heckingbottom was extremely uncomfortable with talk about how his side's Easter weekend fixture list has presented them with a huge advantage. The Blades face a defining double-header in the race for a top six finish with tomorrow's match at home to Reading followed by Monday's trip to Bristol City.

With Luton and Nottingham Forest playing each other; Middlesbrough facing Bournemouth and Huddersfield and with the Terriers also entertaining QPR, points are guaranteed to be lost in those places around them. It's a chance for his side to really give their hopes of a top six finish a major boost but he's warning his players about the dangers of believing the points are already in the bag.

Sheffield United are on a great run right now. Just four defeats since Heckingbottom was appointed in November and 12 games at Bramall Lane without defeat will see them enter both fixtures as favourites to take the three points and move closer to their target. However, he says at this stage of the season and with surprise results already starting to pop up, it's 'dangerous' when people 'give you points'.

"Reading are desperate for points and you see their form has picked up, so we know they are dangerous," he said. "If you look at the Hull result [beating Middlesbrough] at the weekend it's dangerous when people give you points. You have got to earn everything, every single thing.

"We had the same here when we played Hull, we did everything but score, it was record amount of shots, XG, possession, yet we couldn't score. The performance was as good as we could have delivered, so we know how tough it is going to be.

"Everyone has to turn up knowing we have got to scrap for it because Reading certainly will, they want the points to