Chris Wilder: “We’ll Clear Our Heads”, Sheffield United Eager to Put Shock Result Behind Them Quickly | OneFootball

On Friday evening at Bramall Lane, Sheffield United fell to a 3-0 defeat against Hull City in the Yorkshire derby. Despite showing early promise, the Blades were undone by clinical counter-attacking football and defensive lapses.

The home side started brightly, with Ben Brereton Diaz testing Hull’s goalkeeper with a sharp near-post effort. United continued to pile on the pressure, peppering the Hull box with a series of dangerous corners. However, the early dominance was undone in the seventh minute.

Hull struck first through Matt Crooks, who capitalised on a swift counterattack, from a Blades corner, initiated by Peck’s headed clearance. The towering midfielder surged towards the edge of United’s box before unleashing a powerful right-footed strike into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Michael Cooper helpless.

Looking to spark a turnaround, Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder made a triple substitution on 55 minutes, introducing Rhian Brewster, Vinicius Souza, and Tyrese Campbell. The changes seemed to work when Brewster flicked the ball into Campbell’s path, who coolly chipped the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper. However, to the disbelief of fans and players, the goal was ruled out for offside, despite replays showing no infringement.

Just as United attempted to regroup, Hull landed a second blow. Substitute Matty Jacob connected with a Cody Drameh cross to double the visitors’ lead. The goal drained the life out of the Blades, who struggled to mount a meaningful response.

Hull’s third and final goal came in the 88th minute, adding insult to injury. Joao Pedro forced an error from Harrison Burrows, who inadvertently turned the ball into his own net as he attempted to clear the ball from inside the six-yard box.

Chris Wilder’s Honest Assessment As Sheffield United Suffer Shock Loss Against Hull City

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – JANUARY 24: Joe Gelhardt of Hull City is challenged by Jack Robinson and Vinicius Souza of Sheffield United during the Sky Bet Championship match

Speaking after the match to SUTV, Chris Wilder admitted his side lacked sharpness and balance, pointing to a mix of fatigue and injuries.

“Just maybe a game too far a little bit when we look at it,” Wilder said. “Playing a left-back in midfield and bringing players back for their first starts meant we were a little disjointed. Poor goals from our point of view gave them a huge lift, and they sat deep, making it hard for us to find any rhythm or quality to break them down.”

Despite the loss, Wilder defended his players and highlighted the need to move on quickly. “I ain’t going to beat the boys up. They’ve lost a game of football, but over the course of the season, they haven’t let anybody down. We’ll clear our heads over the weekend and get back on the bike Monday morning.”

Wilder acknowledged United’s struggles in the final third, lamenting the lack of cutting-edge quality needed to unlock Hull’s compact defence. “We had little bits; Tyrese [Campbell] and Jes [Rak-Sakyi] had chances, and a few shots got blocked. But we never found that true quality around the edge of the box,” he said.

On a more positive note, Wilder confirmed that “We have a medical with one player, and we’re pretty close”. The player in question is believed to be Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury, is set to join on loan for the season within the next 48 hours.