Sheffield United have slightly longer to wait for their first game of the season as they prepare to take on Watford on Monday night. 

The Blades had a good season last year and made it to the play-offs although were unable to overcome Nottingham Forest to make it to the final.

However, facing newly relegated side Watford who are favourites to go up this season is no doubt a difficult way to start the new campaign.

On top of that, Paul Heckingbottom has admitted he is yet to choose how his side will line-up in the first game of the season.

Whilst being impressed with his side so far, there is still a week to go for them and the boss has urged his players to continue working with the side unchosen as he told Yorkshire Live: "I want to see how everyone is, how everyone comes through. It's a big eight or nine days now, nothing is made up. You always want more from the player and we know we need to keep working and pushing that.

"I don't think you'd ever be satisfied with that. In terms of being ready physically, yeah I am pleased with that when we look at how much work they have done and how they have attacked it. They are ready to start the season. I have not got an XI yet for Watford.

"Everything starts now for Watford, so who reacts well. We know what Watford are going to be and the threats they are going to pose and I might have an idea in my head about how we deal with that but we will always be working on scenarios in training and posing these problems.

"It's like when picking a team at any stage of the season if you think someone really gets it and help you do it they get in the team."

The Verdict: 

Paul Heckingbottom is a manager who is keen to choose his side based off merit and how players are performing in both games and training.

Therefore, with the boss admitting he is yet to choose the side for the opening game of the season, this gives all the players in his squad a great chance to get their name on the team sheet on Monday night.

Standards have to be high and the players will have to work hard to ensure they can secure their place in the side.

However, the fact that it's open means the intensity will continue to be high in the final week of pre-season training which the boss will be hoping his side can then take into their first game of the season.