Sheffield United head coach Paul Heckingbottom has said that he will continue to 'give his best' amid suggestions that he could be facing the sack.
The Blades suffered a 5-0 defeat to fellow strugglers Burnley on Saturday afternoon, with the Clarets scoring twice in the first half before adding three more in the latter stages of the contest.
A miserable afternoon was worsened by the fact that Oli McBurnie was sent off for two elbows on Burnley centre-back Dara O'Shea, and the result has led to claims that Heckingbottom could lose his job.
However, the 46-year-old has said that his future has been under the microscope since the start of September, and he has vowed to continue working in a bid to change the team's fortunes.
"There has been talk and speculation on that since the start of September. I'm the wrong man to ask. I'll just continue doing what we're doing with the resources we've got," he told Sky Sports News after the five-goal defeat at Turf Moor.
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"I can always hold my head up high. I always give my best. That won't change... we plan and pick a team who can handle and impose ourselves on the game. We wanted to put a marker down in our duels.
"We dangled two legs and we were down within 30 seconds. The second goal was not too much better. Then we lost a man with two yellow cards. We made it easier for Burnley than they would have expected."
Heckingbottom also said that he had no complaints over the red card, with McBurnie twice leading with the elbow in challenges with O'Shea.
"We all know the rules. You can't appeal the yellows, you have to be careful. You have to know you can't raise your arms," the under-pressure manager added.
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Sheffield United are now 19th in the Premier League table, boasting just five points from their opening 14 matches of the 2023-24 campaign.
The Blades have won just once this term, and they would be bottom if Everton had not had 10 points deducted for breaking the Premier League's financial rules.
Sheffield United now face a tough assignment at home to Liverpool on Wednesday, and Heckingbottom has said that the team 'cannot feel sorry for themselves' as their attention switches to the clash with the Reds.
"Sometimes it's a good thing (facing Liverpool), we can't be feeling sorry for ourselves. It looked like one or two [players] were towards the end," he claimed.
Sheffield United's only league win of the season came at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on November 4, but they have taken just one point from their three matches since.
Matt Law
