Paul Heckingbottom’s job could be on the line on Saturday (Picture: Getty Images)

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom could lose his job if his side are beaten by Arsenal in north London on Saturday, according to reports.

The Blades are rock bottom of the Premier League after nine games, picking up just one point so far, scoring seven goals and conceding 24.

It has been a miserable start to their return to the top flight, but it has been in very difficult circumstances for Heckingbottom, who has had little help in the transfer market.

The South Yorkshire club sold the likes of Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge over the summer, stars of their promotion campaign, and new arrivals are yet to make much of an impact.

The Daily Mail report that Heckingbottom may be out of a job by the end of the weekend if Sheffield United are beaten by Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, which seems a very likely prospect after their results so far this season.

The report states that former Blades boss Chris Wilder would be the man to replace Heckingbottom, returning to the club two-and-a-half years after he left in March 2021.

Wilder did a fantastic job with Sheffield United in his previous spell, leading them from League One to the Premier League, before leaving with the club bottom of the top flight.

He has since had spells at Middlesbrough and Watford, but has been out of work since leaving the Hornets at the end of last season.

In his pre-match press conference on Friday, Heckingbottom was asked how he would assess the first quarter of the season.

‘Tough,’ he said. ‘Listen some things have been horrendous, with injuries and things like that.

‘We’ve had tough moments on the pitch, but you have to deal with those. It’s been no different to what I expected.’

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High stakes at Emirates Stadium.