Chris Wilder says Sheffield United can’t afford to get comfortable in the Premier League because they will get hurt quickly if they do. United were one of the favourites to drop straight back down to the Championship, having earned promotion to the Premier League after finishing second in England’s second-tier in the 2018/19 campaign.
However, the Blades have enjoyed a brilliant return to the top flight, winning three and drawing four of their 10 matches to sit 10th in the standings, five points clear of the relegation zone.
Summer signing Lys Mousset, who joined from Bournemouth for a then club-record £10million, has been in particularly good form in recent weeks, scoring in the 1-0 victory at home to Arsenal on October 21 before netting the equaliser in the 1-1 draw at West Ham United five days later.
Overall, it has been a great team effort from United and Wilder’s work since taking charge in 2016 has not gone unnoticed, with reports claiming Everton are keeping tabs on him if they decide to sack Marco Silva.
⚔️ @SheffieldUnited are now 10 games into their first Premier League season in over a decade.
3 wins. 4 draws. 3 losses. ✅
They held Chelsea to a draw at Stamford Bridge. 🤝
They out-classed Arsenal at home. 💪
They are 7th in the table. 📈Back where they belong. ❤️ #SUFC pic.twitter.com/fEK6AmazIV
— Sky Bet (@SkyBet) October 26, 2019
You could forgive the Blades’ players if they took their foot off the pedal at some point after the impressive start to the season but the 52-year-old, who had two spells at Bramall Lane as a player, is not letting the focus slip.
He was quoted as saying by The Star: “When you look at a season, you can only assess it when it comes to an end. It’s the same with players and staff. I know more than anybody how precarious this job is. If you start getting a cigar out, it comes and smashes you right on the back of the head.”
Wilder’s men return to action on Saturday when they play host to Burnley, who are sitting 13th in the table and four points clear of the drop zone.
The Blades are on a three-game unbeaten run heading into the contest and they will be feeling confident of picking up a fourth win of the campaign.
The last time these two teams met at Bramall Lane was in the Championship back in 2010, when a thrilling contest ended 3.3.
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