Sheffield United

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There have been plenty of contentious decisions in the 2025-26 Championship season so far.

Offside goals given, perfectly good goals ruled out, red card offences missed, penalties not given, dubious spot-kicks awarded. You name it.

With the video assistant referee (VAR) only used for the play-off final, the outcome of every second-tier game in the regular season can hinge on how on-field officials see incidents in real time.

• Would you want VAR introduced for every league game in the Championship?

• If so, why?

• And if not, let us know your reasons.

You can share your thoughts on VAR here or comment below, and we will publish a follow-up article soon with a selection of your responses.

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Sheffield United striker Patrick Bamford believes they are "maturing as a side" as they continue to push for an unlikely play-off spot in the Championship.

The Blades were bottom of the table when Chris Wilder returned to Bramall Lane for his third spell as manager in September 2025.

Saturday's 1-1 draw at Birmingham City ended a run of back-to-back defeats for Wilder's side, and leaves them 15th, within 10 points of the top six with eight matches to play.

Bamford, 32, told BBC Sheffield: "Everyone was kind of down in the dumps after the previous two results, and thinking 'we've blown it', but honestly - you never know in this league.

"It's up to us to try and win every game we can, and if we do that it still might not be enough, but we've got to try.

"Funnier things have happened and we'll see what happens come the end of the season, but we're certainly going to give it a try".

Sheffield United had their sixth player of 2026 sent off at the weekend, with defender Femi Seriki dismissed after 23 minutes.

Birmingham scored from the resulting free-kick only for Bamford to equalise just before the half-time whistle.

"We've had a fair few red cards in the past few months, and it is a part of growing up," Bamford added. "We've got a really young team for the most part, and you only really learn these things when you're in it.

"In order to learn from these things, it has to happen to you. This shows we're moving forward and maturing as a team a little bit; it'll give us some confidence.

"I think it was a good learning curve and shows we're heading in the right direction".

On Saturday, Sheffield United host the side that currently occupy the all-important sixth place, Wrexham.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has labelled his side's 1-1 away draw at Birmingham City a "huge point".

Blades defender Femi Seriki was sent off in the 23rd minute for a poor challenge on Birmingham's Ibrahim Osman with Marvin Ducksch scoring two minutes later for the hosts.

Patrick Bamford however equalised for 10-man United in first half stoppage time and the Yorkshire club held on resolutely to not leave the West Midlands empty handed.

"The game is not always celebrated by wins or draws, but I feel it's a huge point for us and an absolutely fabulous performance," said Wilder to BBC Radio Sheffield.

"A bonkers game, an absolutely nuts game. I can get questioned on tactics if I don't get it right, or team selection.

"If we put it out there and had a poll about who should be playing, I get all that. I've been through all that situation and I understand negativity towards performances.

"We weren't good enough in the second half and turned the ball over cheaply. That's a technical thing, not an attitude thing."

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before their trip to Birmingham City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Here are the main talking points:

• On Patrick Bamford being fit and available after missing Norwich defeat with dead leg: "Pat has been a big part of our resurgence since Christmas and when he signed for us, and the performances and results we've had that have been in the top four or five. Pat has been a part of that so when he misses out, it's obviously a big blow for us".

• Wilder says he's "not surprised from experience" how quickly recent positive vibes change with a draw and a defeat in the past week: "We were in a good place after the QPR win, then had four clear-cut chances against Norwich, but just as quickly as the mood and narrative changed for a negative one, it can quickly change back, and that has to be our challenge going into the game on Saturday."

• He admits the season so far has been a frustrating one after mixed results: "I'm the biggest critic of the group, and their biggest supporter. It's not been a straightforward season by any stretch. We're desperately trying to find that consistency, we're desperately trying to close that gap from being bottom after six games to the top 10."

• On fan criticism of the team at times: "There's always different types of supporters, and more so now. There's thoughtful supporters, and reactionary ones. I know what's needed medium and long-term, I'm not daft. I've been involved in lots of rebuilds. In the short-term, we need a reaction, and there's a lot of football to be played."

• Wilder admits whilst they have targets this season, he already "has one eye on next season, on who takes us on that journey". He will be looking at the squad who will "have an opportunity to impress, but there's always an opportunity to let that opportunity go as well."

• On facing Chris Davies' Birmingham City on Saturday: "I think they are a dangerous team. There was never any chance of the three who came up struggling in this league. They're a big club in this division who went down to League One. It can happen - look at West Brom, Leicester. It could have been us, could have been Norwich, Southampton. We have a chance to right a few wrongs of the past week."

Listen to more from Chris Wilder and all things Sheffield United on BBC Sounds.

Birmingham City will hope to close in on the play-off spots as they host Sheffield United on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Blues currently sit five points adrift of the top six but have an imperious record at St Andrew's, only losing on home soil twice this season.

The Blades are not too far off themselves though, with eight points separating them from sixth placed Wrexham and they will be hoping it's not too late to mount a promotion push of their own.

• Birmingham have lost their last two home league games against Sheffield United, as many as in their previous 16 home games against the Blades combined.

• Sheffield United are looking to complete a league double over Birmingham City for the first time since the 1970-71 campaign.

• Birmingham have won eight of their last nine league games against United teams – but their one defeat in that run was a 3-0 loss to Sheffield United earlier this season.

• Sheffield United's Chris Wilder has won his last three Championship games against Birmingham City by an aggregate score of 8-0.

• Patrick Bamford has netted five goals in seven Championship starts against Birmingham City, including each of his last two in January 2024 for Leeds and December 2025 for Sheffield United.

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Southampton's Tonda Eckert and Millwall's Femi Azeez have won the Championship's manager and player of the month awards for February.

Saints took 13 points from a possible 15 as they went unbeaten last month, finishing with successive wins over QPR and Sheffield Wednesday to move into play-off contention.

Eckert was appointed Southampton's permanent head coach in December having been in interim charge when Will Still was sacked at the start of November.

He has won 12 of his 23 league games, taking the south coast club from 21st place to the race for a top-six finish.

Coventry City's Frank Lampard, Philippe Clement of Norwich City and Millwall boss Alex Neil were also nominated for the manager of the month award.

Though the Lions did win through winger Femi Azeez, who took home the player award after helping the side to win four of their five games in February.

The 24-year-old made five goal contributions, striking a superb volley to open the scoring against Birmingham in their 3-0 win at the Den.

Saints midfielder Leo Scienza was also up for the player award, alongside Sheffield United midfielder Sydie Peck and Sky Blues striker Haji Wright.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder was left bemused by his side's performance following their 2-1 loss at Norwich City on Wednesday night.

Following a bright opening half hour where Jairo Riedewald slammed in a volley to take the lead for the Blades in the 20th minute, United failed to keep a foothold on the game.

Norwich's Jack Stacey and Amankwah Forson both scored in the second half to complete a comeback victory for the Canaries at Carrow Road.

"It's some good stuff and not so good stuff. Sort of scratching my head at the amount of times we turned the ball over, even in the first half after a really good half an hour where we get ourselves in front, deservedly so.

"Sort of quiet in the crowd, which you want to do away from home, and put your noses in front, but still get opportunities there to go and get the second and just not finding that connection, not finding that rhythm.

"If you invite that on and you give good players - who are obviously in form and going well, and they're a technical side - if you turn the ball over to them, they're going to come back at you and apply pressure and then give their players energy because the crowd are on the front foot."

Image source, Opta

Norwich City return to Championship action on Wednesday (19:45 GMT) after exiting the FA Cup with a 3-0 loss at Leeds United on Sunday.

The Canaries are yet to draw a league game in 2026, while Sheffield United head to Norfolk having gone unbeaten in their past three away games.

• Norwich are winless in their past 10 league games against Sheffield United (D4 L6) since a 1-0 win at Bramall Lane in September 2017.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their past five away league games against Norwich (W3 D2), having lost five in a row at Carrow Road before this.

• Norwich have won eight of their 11 league games so far in 2026 (L3), with no Championship side winning more this year.

• Sheffield United have won their past two away league games without conceding. They last won three in a row to nil in October/November 2022.

• Norwich's Anis Ben Slimane has been involved in six goals in nine English league games in 2026 (5 goals, 1 assist), more than he had in 2023, 2024 and 2025 combined (2 goals, 2 assists in 53 games).

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder criticised his side's performance in their 1-1 draw at home to struggling West Brom.

The Blades were left frustrated after wasting several chances to double their advantage after George Campbell's second-half own goal before the Albion defender redeemed himself and rescued a point with a late leveller.

Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield: "The performance wasn't of the standard I expect of the group, especially at this stage of the season.

"It was lose, we didn't really affect the game. The front four didn't affect the game enough and when you are in games like this - well, any home game - your front four have got to come alive.

"I didn't think we had enough out of them.

"Sydie [Peck] and Jairo [Riedewald] were OK. We had control of the game first half without really hurting them. When we got in those advanced positions we didn't really find any quality. I thought it was an average first-half performance.

"We got ourselves in front [then] we miss two or three really good chances. That second goal, we needed it because they were always going to stick it on us late on and we didn't handle it.

"The goal sort of summed it up really. Really bad decisions."

United will look to continue their late play-off charge when they return to action on Wednesday against Norwich City.

West Bromwich Albion's current struggles are a warning of just how dangerous the Championship can be, according to Sheffield United head coach Chris Wilder.

The Baggies visit Bramall Lane on Saturday [15:00 GMT] just one point clear of the relegation zone and without a win in their past 11 league games.

"In terms of the players they've got and the quality in the group, everybody will be asking how come they're in that position? - but that's what can happen in the Championship," Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"It happened to us with everyone asking at the start of the season how that group of players haven't won a point in the first five games? - it's a dangerous division when you don't get it right."

West Brom have sacked two head coaches this term - Ryan Mason and Eric Ramsay - and have put former midfielder James Morrison in charge until the end of the season and Wilder says no-one should be surprised when a big club struggles in the Championship.

"These things can happen if you don't get it right off the pitch as well as on the pitch," he said.

"It happened to Stoke last season, it's happened to Derby and even to teams who fall through the division.

"We've got an opportunity to get to 50 points - from our point of view getting to 50 points is normally a guarantee of another season in the Championship which was my thought when I first came back through the door and West Brom would love to be in that position."

Wilder has also revealed former England international Kalvin Phillips injured his knee in the Steel City derby win over Sheffield Wednesday last month and the midfielder, who is suspended after being sent-off in the same game, is back at his parent club Manchester City receiving treatment.

Sheffield United are currently 13th in the table, nine points short of the play-offs and 14 clear of the relegation zone.