Sheffield United take on Fulham this weekend in the final game of the Championship season.
United go into the game fifth in the league but they are yet to have their play-off spot secured.
Middlesbrough sit only two points behind the Blades whilst Millwall have an outside chance depending on goal difference as they sit three points behind United.
If Paul Heckingbottom’s side can beat Fulham however, they don’t need to worry about relying on the results of other teams which would be their preference.
Oliver Norwood reiterated this feeling himself.
The 31-year-old has experienced his fair share of final day drama with Fulham in 2017-18, missing out on automatic promotion to then win the play-offs.
He’s also been promoted with Sheffield United back in 2018-19 and he has even avoided relegation on the final day with Huddersfield Town in 2012-13 with his side being saved in the 89th minute.
Looking ahead to this weekend, Norwood told The Yorkshire Post: “There’s different pressures. Huddersfield would have gone into League One: it would not have been a great outcome.
”I have been through different experiences and we have a lot of lads who have seen it and done it.
”It was a mad day [at Huddersfield]. We were down and then up and then we were both [Barnsley] up and then one was down.
“It was a crazy experience, but the best bit was the goalkeeper who had the ball for a few minutes at the end and both [opposing] players were just stood saying leave him on it, we are both safe. That was a different kind of pressure to try and stay in the division and everything that comes with it if you drop into League One.
”I have some good experiences to lean on and so have plenty of others and hopefully we can get the job done and look forward to securing our place in the play-offs. Who knows what can happen if we get there.”
The Verdict:
It’s fair to say that the Sheffield United players will want this weekend’s game to be as straightforward as possible as they hope to just get the job done to secure their own play-off spot.
The fact that Norwood has the experience of playing in final day fixtures that really matter though will really work in his favour as he will know what to expect from the day.
Furthermore, this experience of the big occasions will no doubt also have its part to play if United do have to face the play-offs at the end of the season.