Fulham 3-1 Sheffield United: Analysis

Harry Poole, BBC Sport

The numbers do not make for pleasant reading. Winless, with seven defeats from eight games following promotion back to the Premier League.

The Blades were the last side in the top-flight to lose as many as seven of their first eight in the competition, doing so in 2020-21, when they went on to be relegated.

However, Bournemouth are also winless, while the gap to Luton Town immediately outside the bottom three remains just three points.

But Heckingbottom, who will be proud of his players for continuing as they did following the serious injury to Chris Basham, knows his side must begin collecting points before their situation worsens.

With an international break to reflect on this start, immediate concerns of the staff, players and supporters will of course be with Basham, who received warm applause as he was stretchered off and gave a thumbs-up to the crowd.