Strong Sheffield United side expected for big Mansfield Town FA Cup tie on Sunday

Former Blades boss Chris Wilder's return to the club has seen them quickly climbing the Championship table and Stags know the size of task they face there.

“They do have a few injuries and without doubt his priority will be the league, as it is with us, but he will still want to get through if he can,” said Stags boss Nigel Clough, who was United manager between 2013 and 2015 and took them to FA Cup and League Cup semi-finals.

“He can accommodate another cup game or two and I think he will want to get through for the Blades faithful, of which he is one himself.

“But we want to progress too. A good cup run can go hand in hand with a good run in the league. Whatever competition you are winning in, it's contagious and gives you confidence.

Clough enjoyed his time with the Blades and was very disappointed to be sacked.

“I have fond memories – it was very happy times,” he said.

“The club was struggling in the bottom few of League One when we got there.

“The owner asked us at the interview – can you keep us out of League Two? That was the main thing. We said we could.

“We had a rough first couple of months and we were bottom on 1st February.

“Then we went down to Fulham and won an FA Cup replay.

“From then until the end of the season we had a record number of clean sheets at home and got to the semi-final of the FA Cup as well as finishing seventh in the league.

“So we had a pretty good few months in the end.

“The season after we got to the play-offs and another major semi-final.

“Unfortunately, 18 months after wanting to stay out of League Two, it wasn't good enough for them.”

He continued: “I am looking forward to seeing old friends up there on Sunday.

“They have good people working at the club and I have a lot of respect for the club and their supporters.

“For just over 18 months we had a good go at it and I thought that, despite losing in the play-offs, we'd done enough to maybe get another six months to see how we went the following season.

“The club was certainly on an upwards trajectory. But it wasn't to be and we move on.”

Clough is a fan of Blades boss Wilder.

“I am glad to see Chris back in charge after one of the strangest decisions in football to dispense with his services after he got so close to getting them back into the Premier League,” he said.

“Now Chris has come back in, you can see the progress straight away and I wouldn't rule them out having a little flirt with the play-offs if they add two or three players and stay injury free.

“They have the quality within the squad.”

Stags will be backed by 4,800 away fans and Clough said: “They are massive for us and make a massive impact.

“New lads are genuinely surprised by how many fans we take on the road.

“At home we got over 9,000 fans in for the first time in over 20 years on New Year's Day. But the away backing has been just as impressive, so we are more than aware of it and we appreciate every one of them.

“Ticket prices are good, which they should be for fans straight after Christmas, which will have helped us sell out too and we can't wait for the atmosphere, even though it won't be a full house.”

Stags were without a game last weekend after the game at Rotherham was frozen off, having just reeled off three successive wins to shoot up the League One table.

“We wanted to play but completely understand why it was off and it's just another one to fit in nw,” said Clough.

“I think the lads who had played all three games over Christmas would have welcomed the rest. But I think the momentum we had would have overriden any fatigue and we would love to have played the game.

“The three wins were very welcome indeed and because of the nature of League One this year you can see the difference it makes to the table.”

Clough is hoping to bolster his squad with at least two, possibly three, signings before the weekend – two on loan and the third on either loan or permanent – all in forward areas.

But none of Mansfield's seven injured players - Kyle Knoyle, Jordan Bowery, Elliott Hewitt, Regan Hendry, George Maris, Joe Gardner and Tyler Roberts - are expected back in time.