Burke has key role to play for Blades, says Wilder
SHEFFIELD UNITED manager Chris Wilder has stressed that Oliver Burke will get his chance up front – after not being utilised from the bench against Chelsea and Manchester City for tactical reasons.
The former West Brom player, currently on international duty with Scotland alongside teammate Oli McBurnie, has been an unusued substitute for the Blades’ last two games.
Explaining why Burke was not brought on at Stamford Bridge, Wilder – who did bring on McBurnie – said: “It is tactical. Oli Mac ( McBurnie) would have played, but was unfortunate that he had a bout of tonsilitis that kept him away from the club for four days and there was not much grass behind Chelsea’s back four when they went 2- 1 up and sat a little bit deeper and the pace ( of Burke) was not really needed – something else was to try and get back into the game.
“Even though will be a lot of opinions about a lot of us at the moment, in my opinion, I think Oli ( McBurnie) did well against Liverpool and Man City. The way the team is playing, we are not going to dominate possession, even if we are playing out of our skin.
“The service that the boys at the top of the pitch are getting at the moment is not great and the control that we have is not great as we keep turning the ball over really cheaply.
“But Oli has a part to play in certain games and it was like that last year with ( Lys) Mousset, Didzy ( David McGoldrick), the skipper ( Billy Sharp) and Oli Mac and it will be that way right the way through. Unless somebody finds a big period of form and goals.”
Meanwhile, Wilder was also adamant that the decision to retain John Egan as team captain, despite the return to the side of regular vice- captain Oli Norwood on Saturday, was not particularly important
TheBladeschief, whokeptclub captain Sharp on the bench, added: “Bill is the club skipper, but John is captaining the side at the moment. It is not a set- in- stone thing but for me, he is a leader and influential player and I made that decision on what I think is right personality wise and whatever people do in and around the changing room.
“But that is not the reason we are losing games of football. Everybody should be a leader out there.”