CHRIS DISPLAYS HIS WILDER SIDE
Boss is fuming at blunt Blades
SHEFFIELD United manager Chris Wilder accused some of his players of taking their eye off the ball as their winless run was extended to five games by defeat to Preston at Deepdale.
Jordan Hugill scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half to stretch Preston’s unbeaten run to six matches and move them within two points of the playoff places.
The Blades have now lost four of their last five, and Wilder believes his players have lost focus.
“Some of them may have taken their eye off the ball a little bit,” Wilder said. “If that’s the case they better get ready for the consequences of taking their eye off the ball.
“I don’t like the spike that’s appeared in the team over the last few weeks. I don’t enjoy it. I am one for a consistent approach and performances and we are not getting it.
“I didn’t like what I saw when the goal went in. We felt sorry for ourselves and I rarely say that.
“There have been a lot of plaudits gone to the club, to the players and the staff, so we have to find an answer. Whether that’s personnel or my attitude towards them, we have to find a way.”
Preston goalkeeper Chris Maxwell almost gifted Sheffield United an opener in the first minute by passing straight to the Championship’s top scorer Leon Clarke, but Ben Davies rescued his keeper with a superb last-ditch tackle.
Chris Basham had a tame effort after 19 minutes from the edge of the area that was easily held before he came closer six minutes later as his right-wing cross almost caught out Maxwell and brushed the top of the net on its way over.
It was Preston who came the closest to opening the scoring in the first half as Paul Gallagher’s 40th-minute free-kick beat Moore and clipped the top of the bar.
And Alex Neil’s side threatened with a swift counter-attack on 53 minutes as Tom Barkhuizen slipped Callum Robinson clean through, but he dragged the shot wide of the far post from 12 yards.
But a minute later Preston’s second-half pressure paid dividends as Robinson whipped the ball in from the left edge of the area and found Hugill, who cushioned a volley in from six yards.
Sheffield United pushed for an equaliser but it was Preston who came closest as Hugill’s drive from 20 yards was inches wide of the far post one minute from time.
Neil said he always believed his side can challenge for a play-off place and insists Hugill won’t be sold in January, despite the signing of Motherwell’s Louis Moult.
“I’ve always said we have a chance – it’s everyone else who doesn’t believe me,” said Neil. “We just have to continue to win games because if you lose a couple of matches the doubts creep back in.
“It’s been a good spell for us. We’ve come up against a lot of different challenges so we are delighted with what we have done. Against a side who have scored so many goals this season, our two centre-backs did great.
“Jordan Hugill is not leaving the club, we are not interested in selling. Louis is coming as competition for that spot.”