BLADES ARE GOING TO NEED CUP FORM FAST

WELL done to my old club Sheffield United, who beat Fulham in their FA Cup replay to give manager Nigel Clough a game against his old club Nottingham Forest.

He’ll be chuffed, but at the same time I’m sure he is far more concerned about keeping the Blades in League One at the moment.

After a brief improvement when Nigel replaced David Weir, they dropped back into the bottom four and the games are running out.

It’s amazing really. They beat Aston Villa and Fulham in the Cup, then they go and lose 3-0 to Crewe. How do you explain that? As a manager, you just pull your hair out. It’s infuriating seeing your players lift themselves against the best then play below par against the worst. That’s why they’re in the situation they are.

To be fair, Sheffield United are the big scalp in League One. To clubs like yesterday’s opponents Shrewsbury, not long out of League Two, a trip to Bramall Lane is the biggest game of the season. Like United against Fulham, they’ll all lift themselves. But Sheffield United have to be above that – and they have to do it now.