Sheffield United chief Heckingbottom and Middlesbrough rival Carrick stay calm after Bramall Lane events

His second-placed side may have lost to the opponents who they would have least wished to be beaten by in midweek in the shape of the side who are chasing them in Middlesbrough but Heckingbottom was keen to look at the bigger picture.

A victory would have put United in an unassailable looking position in the top two, but it was not to be. In Championship life, things are rarely straightforward.

Heckingbottom, whose side go to Millwall on Saturday, said: "It's seven points and a game in hand. If you'd asked me at any point (earlier this season), you'd take that 100 per cent.

"We were going to lose (at some point). We have lost games already this season. Probably things will be made of it because we have lost to Boro, who are in third.

"But nothing changes in what we want to do and how we do it. You watch that game back and moments in games, it could have easily been us sitting here with three points, but we are not and we have to accept it.

"I know the big moments with set-plays and Ili (Iliman Ndiaye) with the one-on-one's."

Boro inflicted a first loss in 14 games upon United as Michael Carrick's side recorded the best result of his outstanding tenure.

Like Heckingbottom, Carrick is also retaining focus after a 12th win in 16 league matches under his watch and concentrating on what he can control and not other teams.

On Boro's hopes of catching the Blades, Carrick, whose side welcome QPR on Saturday - having had a day's less preparation than their opponents, said: "I’ll let everyone else judge that.

"We’ve not really spoken about it at this stage because I’m not really interested in it at this stage. I’m interested in performances and results and each game as they come along. There is no point in getting carried away with ifs and buts at this stage.

"What will be will be. It's just a case of playing games. Yes, we managed to beat them (United), but they're a terrific team with so many threats and so many good things in their team."