Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson makes claim on Sheffield United following FA Cup clash | OneFootball

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson believes Sheffield United “have Premiership written all over them” following a thrilling 3-3 draw in North Wales yesterday, speaking to The Star.

The Blades were the firm favourites to secure a victory in this fourth round clash with Paul Heckingbottom’s side thriving in the Championship again this season, continuing their excellent form under the 45-year-old.

However, non-league Wrexham had secured a thrilling 4-3 away victory at Coventry City during the previous round and nearly managed to secure a 3-2 win yesterday, but John Egan’s equaliser ensured that United would be in the hat for this evening’s FA Cup draw.

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Many United supporters will be disappointed that the non-league outfit have taken their side to a replay, especially with Heckingbottom’s men currently 12 points clear of Middlesbrough who are in third place, also having a game in hand over Michael Carrick’s men.

Without Sander Berge though and considering the Sky Blues were unable to overcome the Welsh club on their own patch earlier this month, some people will believe this wasn’t a terrible result for the second-tier side.

And Wrexham boss Parkinson had nothing but praise for the Blades despite the fact they conceded three times and were on the verge of exiting this competition before Egan saved the day.

The former Bradford City boss said: “It couldn’t have gone worse for us, there was a big build up to the game and when that happens (Oli McBurnie’s opener in the second minute), heads can drop quickly and people can start looking for excuses.

“These are a good team, they have Premiership written all over them. I’m just so pleased.”

The Verdict:

The Blades do look as though they will win automatic promotion along with Burnley but they can’t afford to be complacent because there are still enough games for the likes of Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion to be involved in the mix for the top two.

Those are the two teams that will probably worry United the most because both have been very consistent under their respective managers – but they will need to be almost perfect now in their quest to avoid the play-offs.

Nottingham Forest did well last season but didn’t do enough to overtake AFC Bournemouth in the end, with the latter showing how valuable a fast start to the campaign can be.

The Blades’ struggles under Slavisa Jokanovic cost them promotion last season – because they could have easily secured a top-two finish last season if they had been under the stewardship of Heckingbottom for the whole season.

Now they have a golden opportunity to pull away from those that are currently in the play-offs – but they should be looking to replace Berge if he goes and bring in a replacement for Reda Khadra – two things that will maximise their chances of remaining in a strong position.