James McAtee won't be guaranteed game time on loan at Sheffield United simply because he is a Manchester City player.
Sheffield United won the race to sign McAtee on loan this season as they seek promotion from the Championship amid plenty of other interest from the top two divisions in signing the youngster either permanently or just for the season. McAtee went straight into the Blades' matchday squad at the weekend vs Millwall but was an unused substitute in a 2-0 home win.
And speaking after the game, boss Paul Heckingbottom explained the decision not to introduce McAtee, insisting the City academy graduate will have to earn his playing time like everyone else at Bramall Lane.
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“I don’t want to tee him up and I want to respect everything we do, and how hard it is to get on the pitch on this team," Heckingbottom warned McAtee.
“I’m big on everyone knowing their roles and their jobs and we haven’t had long enough to work with James and Reda [Khadra] and the other boys we’ve bought in, to really give them that detail without the ball.
“When you’re in the team and you’re 2-0 up, it’s about without the ball. It’s just something I’m not willing to do. I want a clean sheet, I want the win, and it also allows me to stress the importance of that.
“It’s always horses for courses in games and sometimes the decision in my eyes is an easy one. Other times you’re going off a gut feeling or how someone’s trained in that week. Things like that.”
Also joining McAtee at Bramall Lane this season is Tommy Doyle, who is yet to feature for Sheffield United in their two Championship fixtures so far due to injury. McAtee may get the chance to make his debut this week in the Carabao Cup against West Brom.
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