Sheffield United defender Max Lowe has claimed Nottingham Forest's promotion last season gives him confidence the Blades can go up this term. 

The 25-year-old was on loan at The City Ground last season when Steve Cooper's side won the play-offs to secure a return to the Premier League.

He returned to the Blades in the summer and has helped them launch a significant promotion push in 2022/23.

United have lost four of their last six Championship games, which has allowed third-place Middlesbrough to move to within three points of them, but they can extend the gap with a win over Sunderland tonight after the Teessiders drew last night.

Failing to capitalise could make tonight's game a pivotal moment in the race for the top two and Lowe knows all about games like that.

He was part of the Forest side that went to Bournemouth last May knowing that anything other than a win meant the Cherries would lock up second place.

The Reds did lose but they didn't let that moment define their season and, speaking to The Yorkshire Post, Lowe has revealed that experience gives him confidence about what the Blades can achieve this term.

He said: "It wasn't an upset, we just thought we'd go through the play-offs, then.

"That gives me confidence because personally, I've come out on the better side of it. I have belief in the squad that we're going to do the same here.
"We've got to take it game by game and not get too disheartened by results or look at how other teams are doing.

"I feel like if we perform, we'll get the results."

The Verdict

You can see where Lowe is coming from here.

It's going to be all about mindset for the Blades, who cannot let their recent wobble define their season.

The difference between Forest from last season and United this term is that the former were the ones doing the chasing.

You'd worry about Lowe's side if they were dragged back into the play-offs as it would be the sides around them with all the momentum.

As such, a win tonight to open up a six point gap would be massive.