PLAYER RATINGS: How did Sheffield United's players fare in their 3-2 derby defeat to Barnsley at Oakwell?

Deflated: Billy Sharp, Enda Stevens and Jack O'Connell feel the pain of the Blades defeat at Oakwell. Picture: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

United fell behind to Gary Gardner’s first half stunner, but fought back to lead 2-1 after the restart with John Fleck and Leon Clarke on target.

But Barnsley gave their own hopes of staying in the division a boost when Oli McBurnie and Tom Bradshaw turned it around once more.

Click HERE to see The Star’s Blades player ratings from Oakwell.

“I’ve got to say, the two teams, one wanting to stay in the division and the other wanting to get out of the division. I thought the team who wanted to stay in the division were better in the first half,” said Chris Wilder, the Blades boss.

“They won more first and second balls, played quicker, played with more intensity. We looked a little bit leggy, we played far too slow, backward and square in the first half and when we did get into our stride a couple of times in the first half I thought we looked dangerous.

“Knowing what my team’s about, we got into them a bit at half-time, made a couple of changes and then got into our stride, got into our rhythm, built pressure and built momentum. From then we took the game away from the opposition and I’ve got to say from 2-1, we should go to 3-1 and 4-1.

“But yet again, boring everybody that interviews me after every game, it’s the clinical bit.”