Sheffield United

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield following Saturday's win at Portsmouth.

"It was mentality maybe over control and us imposing ourselves. They were better at what they did in the first half than what we did, but they never put us to bed," he said.

"We grew into the game in the second half. At half-time we talked about it, that we could be a little bit better and I'm not so sure they could do any better than that.

"We knew the game would settle down a little bit and it did, and we started to impose ourselves.

"I thought Kalvin [Phillips] in the middle of the park, it was a really tough one to get chucked into because of the pace and the nature of the game and the intensity of it. They had two midfielder players who were all over our midfield players, and they won that battle in the first half. But Kalvin gave us an opportunity to start finding passes and getting out, while always knowing the opposition are dangerous.

"Maybe I would have taken a point with 10 minutes to go, and that not being negative because this is a difficult place to come. So to get a winner is brilliant for everybody."

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder says his team have been in promotion-chasing form in the Championship despite their defeat to league leaders Middlesbrough on Monday night.

The Blades face another tough test when they visit Fratton Park on Saturday (kick-off 15:00 GMT) to take on a Portsmouth side who fare better on home soil.

"We talked about it, over the last 15 games it's been top-of-the-table stuff," Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"So obviously we've nudged our position down a little bit with not getting a result [against Boro].

"But I'm not going to beat the boys up too much about it and we go again on Saturday."

United have won nine of their past 16 games (D2 L5), picking up 29 points in the process to climb from 22nd to 17th, and are eight points behind the play-off places.

Only Middlesbrough (32), Ipswich (31) and Norwich (30) have gained more points in that time.

In terms of team selection at Pompey, Wilder said he did not expect there would be "wholesale changes" to the line-up, "especially after how the team performed" against Boro.

"The result obviously was not the one that we were after, but it's quite easy to look at the shortcomings of the team on Monday night and maybe dismiss a lot of positive actions and periods of that game against a top side," he added.

"Of course we want to win. We want to win at everything we do.

"But definitely not looking too much from a negative point of view, looking at a lot of the stuff that we did pretty well that night and hopefully taking that forward into Portsmouth on Saturday."

Image source, Opta

Portsmouth will seek to put ground between themselves and the Championship drop-zone when Sheffield United visit on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Pompey start the day two places and one point above the relegation zone, although they have two games in hand on third-bottom Blackburn.

Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Preston ended a four-match unbeaten streak but the Blues are unbeaten and have taken 11 points from their past five games at Fratton Park.

The Blades are six points better off in 17th but know a win could take them within five points of the play-off spots.

They have however taken just one point, and scored one goal, across their past three games away from Bramall Lane.

• Portsmouth have lost just one of their past 11 home league games against Sheffield United (W6 D4), going down 2-1 in January 2003 under Harry Redknapp.

• Following their 3-0 win in November, Sheffield United are looking to complete the league double over Portsmouth for the first time since 1995/96.

• Portsmouth have alternated between a win (3) and a draw (2) in their past five home league games, beating West Bromwich Albion 3-0 last time out.

• Sheffield United won four of their first seven Championship away games following Chris Wilder's return last September (L3). However, they have only won one of the past six on the road in the league (D1 L4).

• Adrian Segecic has netted six goals in the Championship this season, twice as many as any other Portsmouth player (Yang Min-Hyeok and Terry Devlin on 3).

Image source, Shutterstock

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder says his players did not quite reach the levels needed in their 2-1 home defeat by new Championship leaders Middlesbrough.

After five successive league wins at Bramall Lane, promotion contenders Boro proved too much to handle for the Blades, who ended with 10 men after substitute Joe Rothwell was sent off on his debut.

"I've spoken to the players and told them there's a third of the season to go and Middlesbrough are the best team we've played by a long way," said Wilder.

"It's deserved that they go to the top of the division as I thought it was a statement win for them.

"We just needed a little bit more from our players. We were six-and-a-half and sevens and when you're playing a team at the top of the league with the momentum they've got and the results they've had, you've got to be right up there, seven-and-a-halves and eights.

"I don't think we really got to those heights even though to the neutral the game could have swung either way."

Middlesbrough could rise to the top of the table should they defeat hosts Sheffield United on Monday (20:01 GMT).

Coventry's goalless draw to Oxford on Saturday afternoon means that Boro can retake their place at the apex with a victory, having previously been kept off the top spot by goal difference.

But the Blades are undefeated across their past three games (W2 D1) and are proving to be difficult to beat on home soil in recent times.

• Sheffield United have won seven of their last nine home league games against Middlesbrough, losing the others in April 2011 and February 2023.

• Middlesbrough have won three of their last four league games against Sheffield United (L1), and are looking to complete the double over them for the first time since 2010-11.

• Sheffield United have won each of their last four home league games, netting three goals in each match. They last won five in a row at Bramall Lane while scoring 3+ goals each time between April/August 1971.

• Middlesbrough have won each of their last five league games, last having a longer run in September/October 2023 under Michael Carrick (6).

• Sheffield United's Andre Brooks has scored in each of his last three league games. He'd only scored in four of his first 66 league appearances for the Blades.

Andre Brooks hopes to continue his rich vein of form when the resurgent Blades host title-chasing Middlesbrough on Monday night.

After Oxford United took an early lead at Bramall Lane on Tuesday, Brooks completed the turnaround, putting Blades 2-1 up midway through the second half before Chiedozie Ogbene sealed a 3-1 win late-on.

It was a third goal in as many games for 22-year-old Brooks, who scored only one goal in his first 23 Championship appearances this season.

He told BBC Radio Sheffield: "We didn't start the game as well as we wanted to but we stuck to it and got the three points so we're happy.

"Last season I probably would have snatched at that chance and now I am showing I can finish and add goals to my game so it's always good.

"That's three-in-three, hopefully I can carry on this momentum and take it into the next game.

"The boys say to me I'm a good player and I believe I am. Sometimes games just don't go my way but I am showing it now on the pitch so hopefully I can carry it on."

Sheffield United have four straight wins at home in the league, scoring three goals in each of them, and though they lie 15th, are only eight points adrift of the play-off places.

"The manager is always on to us saying we have got brilliant attacking and we have to show it every week and that's what we're doing now," Brooks said.

"We 100% can't afford too many slip-ups if we're going to make a real go at it. The gaffer said midweek games are always the toughest.

"The Middlesbrough game will take care of itself. The manager knows what he's doing, the board know what they're doing, hopefully we can stick together as a team and get the three points."

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield he was pleased with how his Blades overcame the loss of striker Patrick Bamford to defeat Oxford United 3-1:

"He took a knock in training which was unfortunate. It was unlucky that he did that, but we train as we play - which is competitive - and the knock put him out for tonight's game.

"We lost Pat yesterday - he might be [out for] a couple or three weeks - which was a big blow to us because we can go a little bit more direct, which we'd like to have done.

"There wasn't much room out there but the boys never got frustrated. The maturity of the display and the patience was really pleasing.

"I thought it was a pretty comfortable evening apart from the first 15-20 minutes.

"Everyone could see their approach - killing the game at every opportunity - which is OK because they are at a different level to our football club, which is not being disrespectful. It's a good club we were playing against, and they are fighting for their lives.

"These midweek games are awkward games and you have to get a good performance and result in there which we did. That's a huge result for us.

"The Middlesbrough game, the Coventry game, the Ipswich game, the Birmingham game, the Stoke game take care of themselves. These are the ones you have to nail.

"We kept doing the right things and I was delighted with the contribution of everyone, including the punters."

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Shutterstock

As soon as my colleague Andy Giddings broke the news that Kalvin Phillips would be joining Sheffield United, the reaction was unanimous. This was a good move for both parties.

Phillips, a key player during England's Euro 2020 run, and a mega-money signing for Manchester City shortly after, has had a tough time in his career recently.

I remember interviewing him when I worked for Look North, just after he'd helped Leeds United win promotion back to the Premier League. There was a big beaming smile on the face of the man dubbed 'the Yorkshire Pirlo'. It felt like the world was at his feet.

Unflattering comments from Pep Guardiola and failed loans at West Ham and Ipswich have seen his career stall.

He needs a fresh start. Somewhere he can get things going again. He's 30 now but there's no reason why he can't rekindle some of the old magic.

This is a classic Chris Wilder signing. He's adept at bringing players in who need a lift. He's done it so many times, helping players find their best form.

No doubt Phillips will have had a chat with former Leeds team-mate Patrick Bamford. Since moving to Bramall Lane on a free transfer, Bamford is a player rejuvenated. You can see how much he's enjoying life under Wilder. Why can't the same happen for Phillips?

This might be the move, and the manager, he needs at this stage in his career.

As for United – if they can get Phillips somewhere close to his best form, what a signing that could be in the Championship. You wouldn't bet against it.

There was a Leeds-theme among United's other deadline-day business. Former Whites Leo Hjelde and Joe Rothwell also joined. They needed depth in midfield and another left-sided defender. An additional forward would've been ideal but overall, a good end to the window for the Blades.

Shamoon Hafez
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Kalvin Phillips' career has stalled after joining Manchester City from Leeds United for £45m in 2022.

He has played just seven minutes of football this season, back in September in the Carabao Cup at Huddersfield, and this would be his third loan move after spells at West Ham and Ipswich.

Still only 30 years of age, Phillips was a key part of the England squad that reached the final of the 2020 European Championship, where they were beaten on penalties by Italy.

He was named England men's player of the year in 2021 but won the last of his 31 international caps three years ago.