Sheffield United

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield

Image source, PA Media

In modern football we spend a lot of time talking about data and tactics. We don't spend so much time talking about man-management, which is vitally important.

All the best managers had a way of finding an edge. Making a point. Getting a bit extra out of a player.

You don't often hear about the ways and means of doing this as much these days as football has become, if we're being honest, a bit too serious for its own good.

So it was great that Chris Wilder shared details of a classic piece of man-management after Sheffield United's latest victory, a dominant 3-1 win over Leicester.

Before the game at Stoke City and the home match against the Foxes, Wilder hung two shirts in the dressing room - a West Bromwich Albion and Wrexham shirt.

The reason being that United lost and played poorly at both clubs recently. He was making a point to his players. Remember what happened in those two games and don't let it happen again.

"This is what happens when we're off it," he said.

"We were off it in the second half against West Brom and rolled over. I really didn't enjoy that. I struggle to hide my feelings, especially when there's 3,000 of our supporters watching.

"At Wrexham the goals we conceded were just ridiculous.

"That West Brom and that Wrexham shirt is going to go up, and I don't want to see another shirt for a long, long time."

So there we go. That's the challenge to Wilder's players. Make sure they only need two hangers for the rest of the season.

Based on the way they played against Leicester, they'll have a shot.

This was sheer domination, highlighted by the Blades recording an xG of 2.42 compared to Leicester's 0.15. Every other key data point showed how strong United were on the night.

There's a long way to go and nobody will be getting carried away after two wins. A recent good run after the last international break was ended, after all, by that disappointing display at The Hawthorns.

Yet there's no point pretending that Sheffield United don't have players capable of driving them up the Championship table, with a manager who's been there and done it before.

If they can have a good January transfer window, this could still be a very interesting season at Bramall Lane.

Image source, PA

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield following their 3-1 win over Leicester City.

"It was a really dominant performance, against a top group of players, to play like we did from the off and right the way through," he said.

"Our centre-forwards and wide players caused them problems all evening and we created some really good chances. I am a touch disappointed for the boys – Michael (Cooper) deserved a clean sheet and their goal took a deflection late on.

"We wrapped the two wingers up, we wrapped the centre-forward up. Jordan James, I think is one of the best midfield players in the division but Dji (Soumare) and Jai (Riedewald) controlled that area against him and (Oliver) Skipp.

"I was looking a lot to my left first half and a lot to my right second half, which shows you the level of performance we produced."

Sheffield United host Leicester City as the headline act on New Year's Day (17:30 GMT) and will be hoping to make it a spectacle.

It's been more than two decades since Bramall Lane welcomed action on the first day of the year and the last time it did so, things did not go the home side's way.

The Blades will enter the new year resolute on closing in on the play-offs, while the Foxes hope to do the same mountainous task with a potential points deduction looming - but can either side begin 2026 in style?

• Sheffield United have lost each of their last three home league games against Leicester City, their worst home losing run against the Foxes.

• Leicester City were beaten 3-2 by Sheffield United at the King Power earlier this season and could lose home and away to the Blades in a league campaign for the first time since 2007-08.

• This will be Sheffield United's first league game played at home on New Year's Day since 2005, a 2-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic in the Championship. Each of their eight matches on January 1st since then have come away from home (W1 D3 L4).

• Leicester City are unbeaten in their last eight league games played on New Year's Day, winning seven of those (D1), the longest active run of any team in England's top four tiers – their last such match was in 2024, beating Huddersfield 4-1 at the King Power Stadium.

• Sheffield United's Patrick Bamford has been directly involved in seven goals across his last eight league appearances in the month of January (5 goals, 2 assists), which includes a goal and two assists for Leeds United against Leicester City in 2021.

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder claims his players answered him with their gutsy 2-1 win at Stoke after he questioned them following their Boxing Day mauling by Wrexham.

United conceded five goals and Wilder was delighted with the response the Blades displayed as they won at the bet365 Stadium.

He told BBC Radio Sheffield: "It was very rewarding, we got our rewards. I don't think people should really zone in on maybe the last 15-20 minutes because that was the end bit. The first 65-70 minutes was outstanding.

"And then when we had to show bit of courage and personality, which I questioned, we showed it. They've got to stop putting me through the ringer, me and 3,000 Sheffield United fans!

"There's a lot of work to be done, but it's nights like these, moments like this, you know you're always chasing winning feeling and we got it. I thought in the first 20 minutes we were outstanding, the first half we were excellent."

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder could not argue with the result as his side were beaten 5-3 on the road by Wrexham.

"We knew that they'd come out and it was an energetic start from them - home crowd, Boxing Day and everything that goes with that," he said.

"Quieting the crowd, which we did, in terms of getting the first goal and then getting a foothold in the game.

"Their first goal, from our point of view, is a really poor one. We just have to defend the back stick better than what we did. And then the second goal, for me, has decided the journey of the game, in my opinion.

"We never really dealt with their front three really, especially second half. We come away with a tough result and I've got to say, fully deserved by the opposition."

Wrexham will look to overcome a five-match winless run when they host Sheffield United for Boxing Day's show piece fixture (17:30 GMT).

The Red Dragons are stuck in the midtable after losing two of their past five Championship matches (D3) to stall their progress, while the Blades have been slowly making their ascent up the table and could overtake their hosts with a win.

Neither side will have made the start they were hoping for but with a new year fast approaching, they'll want to go into 2026 on a winning streak.

• Wrexham have won both of their home league games against Sheffield United, scoring four goals each time. This is the first such meeting, however, since February 1983 (4-1).

• Sheffield United lost 1-0 at Swansea earlier this season, having won each of their previous five away league games against Welsh sides before this.

• Wrexham have won their last two Football League games on Boxing Day, last winning more consecutively between 1928 and 1932 (5).

• Sheffield United have won just one of their last five Boxing Day league games (D1 L3), with this their first such game away from home since 2014 (2-1 defeat to Port Vale).

• Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder lost three of his first four league games against Phil Parkinson (W1), but has since beaten him four of his five most recent meetings with the Wrexham boss (L1) – this is the first since a 2-0 win for the Blades against Parkinson's Bolton in February 2019.

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Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder was thrilled with the Blades' response in their 3-0 home win over Birmingham after their huge disappointment at West Brom.

United lost 2-0 at The Hawthorns and Wilder says he demanded a response from his side, who have now won five of their last seven games.

He told BBC Radio Sheffield: "It's not about me wanting a response, it was about them wanting a response from themselves, within.

"The narrative all week was a strong one. Friday night was unacceptable and I didn't enjoy it at all.

"The start was great, the intensity of our play. The press we got absolutely spot on. We smothered them and didn't allow them to get a foothold in the game.

"Maybe the frustration of that was the reason that Tommy [Doyle] got sent off. Yes, of course it was an easier afternoon with 11 v 10, but I'm still delighted with the way we approached it.

"We didn't give them any opportunities. It was a really good afternoon."

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has confirmed that defender Ben Godfrey has returned to parent club Atalanta following the termination of his loan deal.

The two-time capped former England international featured in the opening four Championship games for the Blades but has not made a senior appearance since.

"We've been in discussions with Atalanta about terminating the loan deal," Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"We've advanced that and Ben is no longer with us."

Meanwhile, there are currently discussions between the club and Patrick Bamford's representatives at the prospect of extending his contract.

The striker has two goals to his name since joining the side in November on a short-term deal, but Wilder is not taking it for granted that they will be able to secure a longer spell with the 32-year-old.

"It's with Pat [Bamford], Pat's agents and us as a football club but speaking to Pat on a regular basis, he's enjoying his football," Wilder added.

"He's expressed his wish to extend but as you know, agents will want to get the best deal."

Listen to the full interview with Wilder and more Sheffield United content on BBC Sounds.

Sheffield United will look to bounce back from their loss to West Bromwich Albion last time out by welcoming a different West Midlands team to Bramall Lane on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Blades saw their six-game undefeated run come to an end against the Baggies in a 2-0 loss but now host a Birmingham City side who don't fare well on the road.

Blues have only won twice away from home this season, with their past two trips ending in a loss.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their last three league games against Birmingham (W2 D1), their longest run without defeat against the Blues since a run of five between 1995 and 1997.

• Birmingham have won just one of their last seven away league games against Sheffield United (D3 L3), though are unbeaten in their last four visits to Bramall Lane (W1 D3).

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their last four Championship home games (W2 D2), keeping a clean sheet in three of these four matches; as many as in their previous 16 home league matches combined (3).

• Since winning their first Championship away game of the season (2-1 v Blackburn), Birmingham have only won one of their last 10 games on the road in the competition (D2 L7): 1-0 v Preston in October.

• Sheffield United striker Patrick Bamford has scored four goals in six Championship starts against Birmingham, opening the scoring in a 3-0 win the last time he faced them (for Leeds United in January 2024).