Sheffield United host fellow strugglers Burnley in the Premier League this weekend - listen to Chris Wilder's pre-match news conference on the latest episode of BBC Radio Sheffield's Blades Heaven podcast on BBC Sounds.
Wilder's side are four points adrift of the second-bottom Clarets before Saturday's game at Bramall Lane.
Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before Sheffield United host Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday (15:00 BST kick-off).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Wilder confirmed Jack Robinson and Jayden Bogle are both "struggling" to be available for the weekend and said it is a "blow" for the team to lose "two influential players in the group – Jack from a leadership point of view and Jayden as one of our most outstanding players in the way he has gone about his business".
On if he was hopeful they would be back before the end of the season: "We are. My frustration has been the soft tissue injuries the season. These boys have both had injuries, ankle ligament damages, from falling... We are frustrated but most frustrating is when you lose players to soft tissues injuries or in training - those are the ones that hurt us."
He added: "Last time in the Premier League in 2019-20, availability for training and playing was at 90%. We are nowhere near that this season and that will go a long way for us to have a successful season - whatever division we are in next year."
He said staying up "has got to be our aim", adding: "We want to take it down to the wire and we understand the importance of every game."
On the decision to scrap FA Cup replays after the first round: "The game is dominated by the big boys, and the big boys don't want FA Cup replays, do they? There is an argument that they are bringing all the money into the game. I'm a traditionalist, so what does that do to non-league clubs that get into the fairytale world of round three and get a draw at home and the financial implications for them of getting a draw at a big club?"
On whether players like Daniel Jebbison are having options in their contracts exercised: "Daniel Jebbison is close to agreeing, if not agreed. It will be announced when the pen is in his hand and he signs."
Wilder said opponents Burnley "had a more settled pre-season than what we had, but like us they have found it difficult and found results difficult to come by". He added: "Both teams are after three points. We are in it to win it and so will they be. We haven't picked up enough points that performances have deserved recently. We need to play well, show the qualities of recent games and marry performance with a big result."
Follow the rest of Thursday's football news
Here are the key facts before Sheffield United host Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday (15:00 BST).
Sheffield United have conceded 84 goals in their 32 Premier League games this season. That is the most at this stage of a top-flight campaign since Ipswich Town in 1963-64 (85), and the most the Blades have conceded in a league campaign since 1954-55 (86 in 42 games).
Burnley have dropped 24 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, with only Brentford (30) losing more. Meanwhile, Sheffield United have let 17 points slip when winning this term, only losing more in 1993-94 (25).
Despite no team using more players in the Premier League than United this season (33), no side has had fewer different goalscorers than the Blades (10, excluding own goals).
Burnley’s Zeki Amdouni has been substituted off in 86% of his league appearances this season (25/29), the highest share of any player to play at least 20 games in Premier League history.
Sheffield United’s Oli McBurnie has been involved in eight goals in his past eight Premier League home games, scoring six and assisting twice. The only game in this run in which he has not registered a goal or assist was in the Blades’ 6-0 defeat by Arsenal last month.
Former Sheffield United striker Carl Asaba told BBC Radio Sheffield's Blades Heaven podcast that Saturday's game against Burnley has to be viewed "as a cup final" by the players.
"This is huge," Asaba said. "I still feel we will not finish bottom because we do not deserve to finish there but this has to be a cup final.
"They need to give the fans something to cheer about and beat Burnley. Let's beat the team closest to us and take some pride from it.
"The players have something to prove to themselves in this game."
In the reverse fixture in December, the Blades were thrashed 5-0 at Turf Moor in a game where Oli McBurnie was sent off.
Both teams continue to fight for a second successive season in the Premier League, with Vincent Kompany's side just four points above Sheffield United having played an extra game.
Ben Meakin
Fan writer
Just when I thought that nothing else could go wrong this season, the news drops that we will start the next campaign with a points deduction. This effectively means that we will finish this season bottom of one league table, and start the following season bottom of another.
It was an alarming development, to say the least, with the added detail that further deductions have been suspended.
The one consolation is that this transgression occurred last season, prior to promotion and the supposed debt-easing prize money that came with it.
At the time, we were hit with a transfer embargo until the payments were made and I am hopeful that this will be the end of the matter – but you'll forgive me if I'm more than a little on edge about it.
Two points may not be much – although removing that many points from about 80% of teams in the Championship right now would ruin their season – but the continuing mismanagement of the club is a tad embarrassing, especially in a season where barely a week has gone by without some kind of on-field or off-field drama.
If anything, it feels like we have got off quite lightly with a two-point deduction.
I can absolutely understand fingers being pointed by teams who failed to catch us for promotion last season, particularly at the fact we were unable to pay (on time) for some of the players that got us into the Premier League.
At this stage, I am just relieved that we are not under another transfer embargo, which would have been far more damaging given the squad turnover we are about to undergo this summer.
All the same, you have to wonder if this will give clubs justifiable pause over doing business with us in the future.
Ben Meakin can be found at the BladesPod, external
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Sheffield United defender Ellie Wilson believes Ollie Arblaster's own goal during the 2-0 defeat to Brentford was a "really harsh deflection" in what was a "really good game" for the 19-year-old midfielder.
Speaking on BBC Radio Sheffield's Blades Heaven podcast, Wilson praised Arblaster: "Ollie Arblaster actually had a really good game. He cleared up possession really well on the whole.
"It was a really harsh deflection [for his own goal]. He has tried to block the cross and it has just taken the ball out of the flight of where the goalkeeper was expecting it to go."
Chris Wilder's side are 10 points away from safety with just six games to go, but Wilson is hoping the team can get "another win or two" before the end of the season: "Hopefully it is coming, just to finish the season on a bit of a high. There have been positives to take over the past few games. We have been scoring goals and they have looked fairly good defensively considering there are a lot of players missing.
"There are things to take forward and positives to take, but hopefully they can finish on a high.
"Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be against Brentford, but I don't think the scoreline necessarily reflects the effort and the performance from the boys."
We asked for your thoughts on Brentford's 2-0 victory over Sheffield United on Saturday.
Here are some of your comments:
Brentford fans
Robert: Poor game, great result and that was the main thing for Brentford - the three points. Vitaly Janelt was the best player for me, so onwards and upwards and hopefully another three points at Luton next Saturday.
Bobby: After being outfought (for once) at Bramall Lane, a scrappy win here was welcome. Janelt excellent again, winning his duels and getting us moving. Sad to see Damsgaard’s goal chalked off, but good that he finally has a run of solid performances. Avoiding defeat at Luton next will surely make us safe. Just happy to survive this season and move on.
Kev: We’ve played much better, but created by far the better chances and deserved the win. Good to see Pinnock and Schade back.
Sheffield United fans
Stuart: Played some good stuff at times - Arblaster is top quality already and has a big future. Substitutions cost us again. McAtee looked like he was running in treacle and let his man go. Grbic - anything on target is a goal.
Shad: Bad substitution on 56 minutes. Wilder takes possibly our best player off, the one who kept all things down that side at bay. He puts Osborne there and we look wide open. Mr Wilder needs to look at himself as all the time this season he's been in charge, most of his decisions have cost us dearly.
Bob: Same old, same old. Not good enough! We need a change in management!
Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League fixtures.
If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.
Listen back to Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra match commentary in full:
Bournemouth v Manchester United
Sam Drury
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesEight games without a win, one victory in 16 Premier League matches and a league-high 84 goals conceded.
Yet even after defeat by another side scrapping at the bottom, and with relegation looming, there have been green shoots of recovery for Sheffield United in recent weeks.
After a season in which they have, at times, failed to compete, Chris Wilder's side appear to have rediscovered their fighting spirit and an ability to stay in games.
They have still leaked goals but in the loss at Brentford, they look solid for long periods and restricted the home side to very few chances of note.
This late-season improvement has almost certainly come too late to save them but the Blades will hope that it provides them with a base to build from over the summer.
The chances of that being ahead of another season in the top flight grow slimmer by the game but until confirmation of their relegation comes, this side are now showing that they will battle to the last to prevent it.
Chris Wilder spoke to Match of the Day after Sheffield United's defeat against Brentford: "From an injury point of view, we don't feel we have had much luck and we have lost another player today and a really significant one [Jayden Bogle].
"I felt there was nothing in the game. This was a tight, cagey affair. We just didn't find that quality when we needed to. We came to win, we felt it was a good opportunity. Brentford are incredible in terms of the game-management. They made really good decisions.
"I'm a little bit disappointed from a quality point of view. We didn't show enough quality and enough big moments that settle these type of games.
"We've got to go again. I've not really looked at the results yet. From my point of view and from the coaches point of view it has been our biggest task to keep morale going. About five weeks ago we got thumped 6-0 by Arsenal. That's not enjoyable.
"It didn't feel [today] like we were a team languishing at the bottom of the table. Unfortunately that is the harsh reality of it. We are [bottom of the table]."
Brentford have ended their six-match winless streak (D2 L4) against Sheffield United with this afternoon’s victory, their first against the Blades since a 3-1 win in August 2013 in League One.
Sheffield United have conceded 84 goals in the Premier League this season, the most any team has conceded after 32 games played and the most of any top-flight team at this stage of a season since Ipswich Town in 1963-64 (85).
Brentford have kept back-to-back clean sheets at the Gtech Community Stadium in the Premier League for the first time this season and for the first time May 2023. Prior to this run, the Bees had conceded 22 goals across 10 home matches – an average of 2.2 goals conceded per game.
Sheffield United have now failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their past 17 away Premier League matches, only once going on a longer run without an away clean sheet – a run of 22 between June 2020 and May 2021.
Despite going in at half-time level for the 16th time in the Premier League this season (the fifth most in the division), today’s victory was only Brentford’s fourth after being level at the break this season. Prior to today’s match, the Bees were winless in their five previous such matches (D2 L3).
Brentford beat Sheffield United to claim their first win in 10 Premier League games and ease their relegation fears.
An unfortunate own goal from Blades youngster Oliver Arblaster just past the hour mark put Thomas Frank's side ahead, as he inadvertently sent Mikkel Damsgaard's cross into the far corner.
Substitute Frank Onyeka sealed the win in stoppage time as the Bees move up to 14th, seven points clear of the bottom three.
Meanwhile, Sheffield United remain bottom and take another step towards an immediate return to the Championship.
Chris Wilder's side are 10 points from safety with six games to play.
The visitors started brightly with Ben Brereton Diaz breaking free down the left but he scuffed the shot with just Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken to beat.
Brentford soon took charge but despite dominating possession, they struggled to create many chances with Neal Maupay stabbing wide their best opportunity of the first half after United defender Anel Ahmedhodzic gave the ball away inside his own half.
It was a similar story after the break with Mathias Jorgensen seeing a goal ruled out for offside minutes before Brentford's fortuitous opener.
Damsgaard thought he had doubled the lead soon after but the VAR intervened to rule out his crisp volley from Bryan Mbeumno's free-kick for a foul on Oli McBurnie in the build-up.
The Blades pushed for an equaliser but Cameron Archer's wayward shot from a tight angle was as close as they came before Onyeka latched on to the fit-again Kevin Schade's flick-on to fire in the clincher for Brentford.
Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?
Brentford fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here
Six matches make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.
BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries:
Man City v Luton
Bournemouth v Man Utd
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Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.
For this weekend's games, he takes on actor and Leyton Orient fan Daniel Mays.
Sutton's prediction: 2-0
Sheffield United are battling on and are still picking up points, but then I would never expect a Chris Wilder team to just chuck the towel in even if they have got little hope of staying up.
The point they picked up at Chelsea last weekend was the Blades' third draw in four games, but their situation at the bottom of the table means they really need to be winning games to have a chance of survival.
If you look at recent results then Brentford, who have drawn their past three matches, are in similar form but the difference with the Bees is that they are above the relegation zone and appear to be edging towards safety, one game at a time.
Thomas Frank's side are not out of danger yet but a win here would be massive. They should have more quality than Sheffield United in the final third, and I think that will make the difference.
Daniel's prediction: 1-0
Ivan Toney has not really got going for Brentford since he's been back from suspension, but I am still going with a home win.
Image source, Getty ImagesSheffield United boss Chris Wilder says Brentford's Ivan Toney is an example of why young players "need time and patience".
Toney played under Wilder at Northampton at the start of his career and the pair are set to meet again on Saturday when the Blades face the Bees.
"You could see what he had in his locker, which took quite a while to put all together, which sometimes happens as a young player," said Wilder in his pre-match news conference.
The 28-year-old striker, who made his first-team debut for Northampton aged 16, moved to Newcastle in 2015. After a number of loan spells with different clubs, he joined Peterborough in 2018.
"Newcastle didn't get him going. This is what you deal in with young players," added Wilder. "Look at our two young players, [Daniel] Jebbison and [Will] Osula and the characteristics they've got.
"Number nines, modern-day centre-forwards. Strong, powerful and athletic. Obviously Ivan had all those tools and I'm not saying our boys will go on to have the career Ivan's had.
"But it's been a while coming and he'll possibly be the first to admit that [with] loans here, there and everywhere. Obviously he found a good home at Peterborough and developed off the back of that. He then got his move [to Brentford] and the numbers you are talking about and getting in the England squad.
"With young players you need time and patience because they're going to make mistakes and I'm sure Ivan did as a young player. But if somebody believes in them, which we do in our young players, then hopefully they come through.
"We're all looking for it to be now of course, the next six and 12 months, but he's a great example to our players and everyone at the club that this might take a bit of time with the young ones."
We asked for your thoughts on Sheffield United's points deduction and whether it will affect the rest of this season, after it was decided that the Blades would start their next English Football League campaign with a two-point deduction.
Here are some of your thoughts:
Joe: This is very frustrating and an indication of how the club has been run - not well. It puts into perspective how financially important our promotion was, even if this season has been a write-off. Worryingly, I can see us in this position again and being hit with the second two-point deduction. I highly doubt we will see investment in the squad next year.
Glenn: I'm not surprised or shocked. It is the club's fault as it is run so poorly. We got what we deserved and the club hasn't appealed the decision, so they knew it was coming. I don't think it will have an effect on the season, as many of the players, coaches and staff know the club is getting relegated.
Neill: Disappointing, but it could have been worse and it probably will be when the owners repeat it all over again. As if being the most ill-prepared team to face a season in the Premier League wasn't bad enough. The sooner they are gone, the better we will be.
Matt: Not a big surprise that we face more consequences for such a bad 2022-23 season behind the scenes. It just shows how well Heckingbottom did, bringing us out of the Championship with such alarming off-the-field issues. Here's hoping a big rebuild will settle everything down for us over the summer. Hopefully we can put some more sustainable plans in place.
After it was announced on Thursday that Sheffield United will begin the next campaign that they are in the English Football League with a two-point deduction, we want your thoughts on the news.
Are you disappointed with the punishment? Will it have an impact on the rest of this season?
Image source, Getty ImagesSheffield United will be deducted two points at the start of the next season in which they play in the English Football League.
The penalty relates to the Blades defaulting on payments to other clubs during the 2022-23 season, at the end of which they won promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.
A further two-point deduction has been suspended until the end of the season in which the initial deduction is enforced, and will only be imposed if the club defaults on further payments.
The Blades face the prospect of the sanction being applied next season, as they are bottom of the Premier League and nearing relegation to the Championship - they are nine points from safety with seven games left to play.
In a statement, Sheffield United said: "The club has co-operated with the EFL to reach a negotiated settlement on the issues in question.
"While disappointed to have the deduction imposed upon the return to the EFL and highlighting that awaiting overdue monies from several other clubs affected Sheffield United's financial situation, the club took the view that it was better to reach an agreement which minimised the risks of a higher deduction or further transfer embargoes being imposed, and being distracted by lengthy and costly legal proceedings.
"The club is now in a position to close this matter and concentrate on the future."
