Midfielder Ben Osborn knows Sheffield United’s fringe players must be prepared to face a team ready to have the “game of their lives” when AFC Fylde head to Bramall Lane.
The Blades have caused plenty of upsets of their own this season on an impressive return to the Premier League.
Chris Wilder, though, has confirmed he will rotate the squad for Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie, which could see new signing Jack Rodwell handed a debut.
Osborn knows whatever side is picked, the United players must brace themselves for a stern test of their top-flight credentials.
“Fylde have obviously done well to get to the third round, so it is going to be a difficult game,” Osborn said at a press conference.
“They will be playing against a Premier League team and it always happens – a few of them will have the game of their lives.
“We have just got to try to be as professional as possible.
“It is a chance for a few people who have not played for a while, so we have got to take that (chance).
“We will be hungry, we will be fighting and just want to get into the next round.”
Wilder intends to make wholesale changes from the side which lost 2-0 to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Thursday night.
A sobering home loss against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup earlier this season, though, will serve as a reminder of what can happen if there is not full focus.
“We definitely don’t want something like that to happen again,” said Osborn, a summer signing from Nottingham Forest. “We have to learn from that and put it right.
“We have just got to put a positive performance in, give it our all and hopefully get the right result.”
