Sheffield United

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield after his side's 2-0 defeat at West Brom.

"I'm really annoyed and angry. As annoyed and angry as I've been for a long, long time," he said.

"I didn't see it coming, I thought first half we were pretty good but you have to be more clinical. Everyone in the ground smelt the atmosphere before and the vulnerability of the opponent and that is when you have to be at your ruthless best.

"We've just allowed them to dominate the game and never looked like getting back in it. It felt like they thought the game would come to them and they didn't need to do the fundamental basics.

"I apologise for that, we have to own it. We need to stick our chests out and take the criticism that comes our way for a second half performance that was miles off it and I mean miles off it.

"It could quite easily have been three or four and we couldn't have had any complaints. It's a massive backwards step.

"It was limp, lacklustre and everything I hate in a player and as a team. I have had to express that to the players."

West Bromwich Albion will look to avoid three consecutive league defeats for the first time this season when they welcome Sheffield United on Friday night (20:00 GMT).

The Baggies are 16th in the Championship and have won just two of their past 10 matches (D2 L6).

The Blades are one place below Albion but are on an impressive six-game unbeaten run (W4 D2) and looking to continue their climb up the table.

• West Bromwich Albion are winless in five league games against Sheffield United (D2 L3) since a 4-0 win in August 2021.

• The previous two league meetings between West Brom and Sheffield United have been draws - there hasn't been three league draws in a row between these teams since January 1972.

• Albion have lost just four of their past 28 home league matches (W13 D11) and are unbeaten in six (W3 D3) since a 1-0 defeat to Derby in September.

• Sheffield United have won 13 of their past 20 away league matches under Chris Wilder (L7) and are looking to win three in a row for the first time since a run of six between January and March this year.

• Sheffield United have played two Championship matches on a Friday this season and they've lost them both by an aggregate score of 8-2 – 5-0 v Ipswich and 3-2 v Preston.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has confirmed that midfielder Sydie Peck will not be available for the game against West Bromwich Albion on Friday (20:00 GMT).

Wilder did not confirm a timeline for Peck's calf injury with the England Under-21 international also missing out on the 1-1 draw against Norwich City on Tuesday.

Defender Mark McGuinness, midfielder Jairo Riedewald and left-back Sam McCallum will return for the trip to The Hawthorns but while winger Chiedozie Ogbene is "close", the Republic of Ireland international will not be ready for Friday.

Meanwhile, midfielder Tahith Chong is fine following his return to the Championship against the Canaries despite clutching at his ribs as he left the pitch.

The Curacao international was part of the starting XI, but was substituted off after 58 minutes as he makes his comeback following an 11 league game absence with a knee injury.

Also making his comeback from a knee problem is midfielder Ollie Arblaster, who was also in from the start to make his first appearance for the Blades since November 2024.

"We are really surprised in terms of how he's [Arblaster] come through the 60 minutes," Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"We expected him to be battered and bruised but he's come through. No issues on his knee situation so I'm delighted."

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

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield after his side's 1-1 draw with Norwich City.

"I don't think we deserved anything more than a point," he said.

"I'm at the coalface and I know that players can't play Tuesday and Friday, especially players coming back from injuries.

"It's possibly one of the hardest games we've had to deal with for a while.

"It's the third or fourth time we've had three games in six days so every single one of the decisions we made were physical decisions.

"I'm disappointed in the manner of their goal because it's so scruffy. Midfield players out of position, opportunity to clear it, we don't and then bundle into the back of our net. It's a really poor goal."

Image source, Getty Images

The FA Cup third round draw was made on Monday evening, with all 24 Championship clubs entering at this stage of the competition.

Ties will take place between Thursday, 8 January and Monday, 12 January.

These are the ties involving Championship clubs:

• Cambridge United v Birmingham City

• Hull City v Blackburn Rovers

• Bristol City v Watford

• Charlton Athletic v Chelsea

• Stoke City v Coventry

• Derby County v Leeds United

• Ipswich Town v Blackpool

• Cheltenham Town v Leicester City

• Fulham v Middlesbrough

• Burnley v Millwall

• Norwich City v Walsall

• MK Dons v Oxford United

• Portsmouth v Arsenal

• Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

• West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers

• Sheffield United v Mansfield Town

• Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford

• Doncaster Rovers v Southampton

• Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion

• Wrexham v Nottingham Forest

You can see the full draw here.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder says he is not thinking about mounting a challenge for the Championship play-offs and is solely focused on performances.

Five weeks ago, the Blades were 21st and three points from safety after 11 defeats in their opening 14 games - and 13 points off the top six.

But a five-game unbeaten run, including four convincing wins on the bounce, has lifted United to 18th and reduced the gap to sixth to eight points.

Wilder's side host strugglers Norwich on Tuesday looking to make it five straight league wins for the first time since December 2022, but the 58-year-old is keeping his and the players' feet on the ground.

"I've got to say I'm not really bothered about what people think about us, more so what we're doing at the moment, the standards we're setting and the consistency that we're showing," Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"And we have to continue that. We can't get dragged into 'play-offs' or whatever people think is the perception of us.

"It's what we do and what we deliver - and what stops us getting results. The things I will always remind the players of: arrogance, shortcuts, lack of discipline, lack of preparation, thinking we've landed. We've not landed.

"I keep saying we're playing catch-up. You climb the table if you produce consistent performances and results and that will happen naturally.

"So that's my full focus and message to the players."

Wilder reiterated that it is about "keeping the hammer down" to "keep producing" performances.

"It always is. It always has been with me," he added.

Image source, Opta

Sheffield United will seek to continue their resurgence when second-bottom Norwich visit Bramall Lane on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

The Blades have won four straight games, scoring 13 goals and keeping three clean sheets to climb up to 18th, just eight points behind sixth-placed Stoke, whom they beat 4-0 at home on Saturday.

Norwich are now nine points behind them and five short of safety after allowing a lead to slip to a 3-2 defeat at Watford on Saturday and have now taken a single point from their past six away games.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their past nine league games against Norwich (W6 D3) since a 1-0 home loss in September 2017.

• Norwich haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their past nine league games against Sheffield United, though they haven't conceded more than twice in any of their past 21 against the Blades.

• Sheffield United have alternated between defeat (2) and victory (2) in their four midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Championship games this season, beating Portsmouth 3-0 last time out.

• Norwich are winless in their past eight midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) Championship games (D3 L5) since a 1-0 win at Luton on New Year's Day.

• Sheffield United's Patrick Bamford has scored three goals in five home league games against Norwich, averaging a goal every 82 minutes at home against the Canaries.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield after his side's 4-0 win over Stoke City.

"We always knew we'd have to be good today but there's been a feeling that this was moving forward," he said

"You can do all the blocks and all the runs but the basic is a good delivery and go and attack it and I'm delighted for Mark.

"When we were getting criticised and we weren't winning games of football I knew were nudging it forward. It took a bit of time but the bit in the middle has been pretty good.

"Both boxes decide games against dangerous opposition and we needed to be close to or at our best to get any kind of result. It looks favourable from our point of view and we'll take that but we've had to earn the right to win a game of football."

Sheffield United do not want to lose midfielder Jairo Riedewald or forward Patrick Bamford, says head coach Chris Wilder.

Netherlands international Riedewald, 29, and former Leeds striker Bamford, 32, are both on short-term deals which are due to expire in January, but Wilder is keen for them remain at Bramall Lane.

"There's been contact from myself to the players and I believe they are all over wanting to come, and why shouldn't they be?" he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"They've been outstanding, I've been delighted with the contribution of both of the guys. I personally don't want to lose both of them, so it's up to us to find a common ground in terms of length (of contract) and obviously the details of the contract."

Bamford scored his first goal for the Blades in last week's 3-0 win over Portsmouth, while Riedewald has started six of their nine games since joining in October.

"The board have backed it, they understand the importance of the two boys as well and the contributions they've already made," added Wilder.

"I don't want to lose these guys in January but, unfortunately, that might be the case if someone comes over the top of us and blows us out of the water, but we're confident we can get a deal done with both the guys and their immediate and medium-term future is with us."

Sheffield United will host Stoke in the Championship on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Sheffield United head into this game (15:00 GMT) looking to make it four wins in a row for the first time since February.

Stoke City have won two of their past three away games but were beaten at Leicester in their last road trip.

• Sheffield United have won their past three league games against Stoke, as many as they had in their previous 14 against the Potters (D6 L5).

• Stoke have won just two of their past 16 away league games against Sheffield United (D5 L9), with those victories coming in April 2004 (1-0) and December 2007 (3-0).

• Stoke (30) are 11 points ahead of Sheffield United (19) coming into this match, their highest lead ahead of a meeting with the Blades since March 1996 (14 points).

• Sheffield United have won their past three league games, netting exactly three goals in each. They last won four in a row while scoring 3+ goals each time in April 2017 in League One.

• Stoke City have lost three of their past four league games (W1), as many as they had in their first 14 this season (W8 D3).

Adam Oxley
BBC Radio Sheffield journalist

Image source, Shutterstock

Sheffield United finally seem to be turning their season around after a nine-point week that's seen the Blades move out of the Championship drop zone.

New signings are beginning to show their worth, confidence is gradually returning to last season's remaining play-off finalists and there is now hope United can make a run towards the top six after a disastrous start that brought genuine fears for their second-tier status.

There have been good moments, goals and games for several individuals amid a torrid campaign so far, but one man has been a beacon of consistency, emerging from the pack to be the leading light in Chris Wilder's resurgent side.

Callum O'Hare increasingly found himself as a substitute last season as Sheffield United raced to 92 points and a third-placed finish, before coming off the bench to score in both play-off semi-final legs against Bristol City.

Supporters recognised his 'Duracell Bunny' work-rate after signing from Coventry City in summer 2024 but questions persisted about the 27-year-old's output, as his old Sky Blues team-mate Gus Hamer stole more of the headlines and also the Championship player of the season title.

O'Hare finished last season with four goals and six assists in 47 league appearances. He's now matched those goal contributions – five goals, five assists – in just 18 league matches this campaign after last weekend's 3-2 win at Leicester City.

Speaking after the match about his boosted numbers, O'Hare remarked it "seems that you can only be good these days if you get goals and assists". It's clearly something that's been on his mind, as he feels his work over the summer is "paying off at the minute".

But it's not just the headline numbers that demonstrate a marked improvement this campaign.

A goal and an assist at the King Power Stadium were his 19th and 20th goal contributions for United. Only Gus Hamer (21) has more since O'Hare signed for the Blades.

His xG (expected goals) was 4.8 for the whole of 2024/25. It's already 3.59 this season.

O'Hare made 22 successful dribbles throughout last term. He's hit 15 already for 2025/26. He had 40 shots last year, with 12 on target. So far this season O'Hare is on 26 shots with 11 on target.

He's currently joint fourth for assists (five) in the Championship, with only three players recording more.

And he's currently joint sixth in the Championship for goal contributions (10), with only five players having more goals plus assists.

Sheffield United are currently 19th with a ten-point gap to close if they're to have another crack at ending their long-standing play-off hoodoo.

The fact that's even being discussed is testament to manager Chris Wilder's impact since returning for a third spell at Bramall Lane.

But O'Hare also deserves significant credit for the change of mood in Sheffield 2 and if his numbers continue to grow at the same trajectory, he'll play a key role in any success the Blades achieve this campaign.