One Premier League manager has highlighted his team’s trip to Anfield as the fixture he’s perhaps most eagerly anticipating for the 2023/24 season.
The top-flight fixtures for the upcoming campaign were announced on Thursday morning, with Sheffield United among the trio of promoted clubs who’ll be visiting some of the biggest stadia in England.
Their manager Paul Heckingbottom was speaking to Sky Sports News after the schedule was released, and he has one particular reason as to why he’s very much looking forward to when the Blades visit Liverpool.
The 45-year-old said: “From a personal point of view, and you probably can’t believe, I’ve still never been to Anfield, either as a player, a coach or to watch a game. I think that’s the only stadium I’ve not been to in the country, so that’ll be one for me.”
The one possible pitfall is that Sheffield United’s trip to Anfield doesn’t come until Wednesday 3 April, so it remains to be seen whether he’ll still be in charge of the club by then, particularly given the rate at which Premier League managers were jettisoned during the 2022/23 campaign.
Hopefully Heckingbottom will get to realise his wish of coming to Liverpool’s home ground, and he deserves the chance to do so after the magnificent job he’s done in getting the Blades back into the top flight.
You can view the 45-year-old’s comments below from Sky Sports News, shared via @footballdaily on Twitter:
🗣 "I've still never been to Anfield!"
Paul Heckingbottom is looking forward to the trip away to Liverpool! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/Zrnr9LfOy4
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) June 15, 2023