Sheffield United

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.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield following Saturday's 3-2 victory at Leicester City.

"It was outstanding," he said.

"There were some tired legs at the end - I've told you about the schedule and being punished, possibly, more than anybody.

"To go Sunday afternoon, in an emotional game like that (against city rivals Sheffield Wednesday) at Hillsborough, to then go into Wednesday night and get the job done and then to come here.

"Look at their team-sheet, look at the players they have got, and especially what we did in the first half – we absolutely dismantled them.

"We were outstanding, even for the first 10 minutes of the second half. They scored a great goal that got them back in it and we did everything we needed to do. We had everything to lose, especially when the second one went in, and they had everything to gain.

"When they are 3-0 down, they can take big risks and it becomes an easier game for them and a tougher game for us. But the attitude of the team was to gain a big three points."

Sheffield United have dragged themselves out of the relegation zone and head coach Chris Wilder is now calling for consistency, not just in terms of results but, more importantly, performance.

The Blades travel to Leicester on Saturday (12:30 GMT) knowing a third successive league win could take them up to 18th in the Championship.

Tuesday's 3-0 win over Portsmouth was only the second time this season Wilder's side have posted back-to-back victories in 2025-26.

"I've said it to the players, always the biggest compliment you can be given, myself, the coaches and the football club is they know what they're going to get when they play Sheffield United," Wilder said. "I think that's coming together now.

"[We're] not always guaranteed the result but you know, performances, we want sevens and eights out of 10.

"We don't want a nine out of 10 and we don't want a four out of 10. We don't want to go from there in games as well, to there as well, which obviously we did in a couple of the games.

"The Preston game [a 3-2 defeat in late October] possibly the most recent one.

"Consistency is really key."

You can listen to more from Chris Wilder on BBC Sounds.

Both Leicester City and Sheffield United will be vying for a much needed ascent up the table when they meet at the King Power Stadium on Saturday (12:30 GMT)

Not many would have expected the two teams to be lingering at the bottom half of the table at the start of the season but while fortunes seem to be abandoning one, the other appears to finally be seeing some light.

The Blades have dragged themselves out of the bottom three following two successive 3-0 wins and will be hoping their season has finally kicked into gear.

Whereas Leicester succumbed to a difficult 3-0 defeat to Southampton last time out and are awaiting news of a possible points deduction that would make a promotion push even tougher.

• Leicester City are unbeaten in each of their last eight league games against Sheffield United (W6 D2), winning the last five in a row.

• Sheffield United have won just one of their last eight away league games against Leicester City (D2 L5), with this their first visit since a 5-0 loss in March 2021.

• Leicester have lost just one of their last 10 home league games (W5 D4), with no side in the Championship this season drawing more home games than the Foxes (4).

• After beating Sheffield Wednesday 3-0, Sheffield United are looking to record successive away league wins for the first time since March last season (run of six).

• Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has lost all three of his managerial league games against Leicester, all in the Premier League from August 2019 to December 2020. He has only faced Liverpool (6), Man City (5), and Southampton (5) more without ever avoiding defeat in his career as a manager in the top four tiers.

Sheffield United midfielder Gus Hamer says they haven't given up on challenging at the top end of the Championship this season.

The Blades endured a dismal start to the campaign under Ruben Selles, losing their opening five games before he was replaced by returning boss Chris Wilder.

Last season's beaten play-off finalists moved out of the bottom three with a 3-0 win over Portsmouth on Wednesday night and are 11 points off the top six.

"I haven't looked at the bottom three to be honest," Hamer told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"I don't want to sound cocky or anything but I think it's just the team we've got and the ability, the fans we've got. We shouldn't be in that place in the first place.

"But that's the reality, we've been there. We've got ourselves out of that situation so now we're just looking up the table.

"Step by step and everything is possible in this league so I think we still have a good chance to go high up in the league."

Hamer returned from injury this week after missing six league games and scored an excellent long-range goal in the victory over Pompey.

"I'm back and it's up to the gaffer now who is going to play," Hamer added.

"If he starts me, I'm ready to play as long as he wants me to play. I'm just glad I got some minutes in the derby, we won 3-0, very good result of course and then we backed it up with our performance [against Portsmouth].

"Six goals in two games and two clean sheets. That's a very good start after the international break.

"We know what we can do, we know what our abilities are so I think we can look forward to the next couple of games."

Chris Wilder felt his team did all the right things to ensure a second successive win and third clean sheet on the bounce as they beat Portsmouth 3-0.

The Blades boss told BBC Radio Sheffield: "A lot of people would be having a peek at us to see how we approached the game after an emphatic win on Sunday, and I thought the players were really good tonight - a lot of boxes ticked, another step forward, another test passed.

"It's not always easy to play against 10 men but I told the players not to get bored of doing the right things, don't get bored of being a decent team, and I thought we looked a decent team tonight.

"The direction of the game changed with the penalty and sending-off but you still have to go and earn the right and we did that."

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield

Image source, Getty Images

It's been a difficult past few months for Sheffield United fans but winning the Steel City derby was something to enjoy. A big win in their bitter rivals' backyard.

Supporters had about 48 hours to properly soak it in.

Then a controversial report emerged. United's owners, COH, had supposedly contacted Sheffield Wednesday's administrators to make an enquiry.

It's an explosive story, leaving everyone to wonder if COH were checking in on a potential merger plan. Some form of comment was necessary from a group who have not done a single press conference since taking over.

A club address emerged a day later.

The co-owners Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy spoke about the disappointing start to the season. They declared they still aimed to one day get back in the Premier League.

There was a clichéd platitude - "this journey is a marathon, not a sprint" - and a call to "focus all of our energy on supporting Chris (Wilder) and the team".

There was, of course, one glaring omission. There was no denial of the story. Nothing to say the report on contacting Wednesday's administrators was untrue.

I've done a bit of digging and my understanding is there's truth to the original report of contact being made, although it's unclear precisely what the motivations were.

It begs the question, what on earth were they thinking?

What possible logical reason would there be to make contact? Did they think a merger was possible? Anyone in this city will tell you that if you think a merger is an option, you have absolutely no grasp of Sheffield football.

Let's reflect on the last few months of COH's first year of ownership.

They moved Wilder out of the club, appointed Ruben Selles and watched a promotion favourite drop into the Championship's bottom three.

Red faced, they hastily brought Wilder back to rescue things and, now, this story.

COH inherited a healthy club that has enjoyed plenty of success in recent years. They had/have a serial winner in charge of the football side of things in Wilder. There are highly competent people working behind the scenes.

All they needed to do was offer support and leadership. They've done the opposite and created a situation where fans are rightly wondering if they 'get' their club or English football in general.

If there was no enquiry and the reports and chatter are incorrect - say so. If not, and it's all true, it needs to be explained.

And after that explanation, any thought of a merger - if that was the reason for the enquiry - should be consigned to the rubbish bin of bad ideas forever.

Sheffield United are already working hard on what business they want to do in the January transfer window, boss Chris Wilder has said.

The Blades are third-bottom in the Championship after a disastrous start to the season which resulted in Wilder returning to the club in September in place of Ruben Selles.

The Blades have four wins from their 11 games since Wilder was put back in charge.

"There's still an unbelievable amount of work to do, we're still talking about January and we need to move players on and make some difficult decisions," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"If we can get to January and pick up some points, I'm really excited at what we can achieve in the new year. Players will definitely want to come to us in January and we're working hard from that point of view."

Midfielder Ollie Arblaster is back in training after a year out with a serious knee injury but Wilder has ruled out bringing him straight into the squad for Wednesday's home match with Portsmouth.

Wilder said: "He needs to play - if you finish a season in early May you have five weeks off and then your pre-season is about getting your minutes into yourself. He's gone over a year without playing any minutes. We'll try to drip feed him in."