Blades boss seeking more cup cheer

Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock is hoping the FA Cup can provide his team with more sweet memories to erase the bitterness of their ailing promotion push.

Since disposing of Nottingham Forest in the fourth round, Warnock’s side have lost their last three league matches without scoring a goal to leave them 10 points adrift of First Division leaders Norwich.

Warnock is now looking for a fifth-round triumph over Second Division Colchester at Bramall Lane tomorrow to raise morale and kickstart the Blades back into life.

They start as favourites, but Colchester proved they will be no pushovers after a shock in the last round when they beat Coventry 3-1 in a replay at Layer Road following a 1-1 draw at Highfield Road.

Warnock, who last season guided his team to the semi-finals where they lost out to eventual winners Arsenal, said: “We need this to get our season going again.

“We haven’t scored for three games and it leaves a bitter taste when I think we should be one point behind Norwich and instead we’re 10.

“It’s a bit soul-destroying and disappointing, but you have to get on because you haven’t time to dwell on disappointments.

“You look at how you are going to get a positive reaction from the team for the next game and the way we’ve played there’s nothing a goal won’t put right.

“But I would imagine Colchester will be lifted by our recent form. They’ve players on their day who can play above the division they’re in. I just hope we can match their enthusiasm.

“Because they’re the underdog they will be playing with more freedom and less pressure, unlike in our dressing room because we’re expected to win.

“If we’re not on our game, especially with the number of players who are out, we will get turned over. But never mind that, we don’t want to go back down to their place either.

“We want to try and finish the job in this game. Anybody going to Layer Road will tell you, like Coventry, it’s an intimidating place and difficult to come away with a result.”

Warnock is eager to go as far, if not further, than he did with United last year, believing again a First Division side could lift the trophy despite all the Premier League big guns still in the competition.

“This season rekindles fond memories of last season,” added Warnock.

“We loved the FA Cup last year. It’s still the best tournament in the world and we are going to try and win every game.

“I think this year people thought we might not be bothered about it in coming up against Cardiff and Forest in the last two rounds, but we came through them.

“We showed we are bothered. We want to win every game and we’re determined to try and go as far as we can again.

“If we don’t then, like I said last year, I think a First Division club can win it because if you look at the draws and the number of big clubs going out then it’s there for a First Division club to go the distance.”

Warnock has problems, though, as Chris Armstrong, Chris Morgan, Steve Kabba, Ashley Ward, Dean Sturridge, Michael Tonge and Jack Lester are injured, while Paul Shaw, Colin Cryan, Ashley Sestanovich and Carl Robinson are cup-tied.