Sheffield United

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).

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.