Sheffield United: Chris Wilder issues challenge to his Blades squad after admitting: 'We're in a hole'

Wilder’s Blades are ten points off the automatic promotion places after losing 1-0 at Preston on Saturday, their fourth defeat in their last five games.

United were without their first-choice midfield three of Paul Coutts, Mark Duffy and John Fleck - missing with injury, illness and suspension respectively - at Deepdale, and Wilder was forced to give teenager Regan Slater a league debut off the bench as Samir Carruthers failed to take advantage of a rare start.

And Wilder, whose side return to action in a Sky-televised game at Aston Villa on Saturday, insisted: “I’d be embarrassed if I was a footballer and was talking about missing players. The situation opens it up for other players; that’s just how it is. People have their injuries and whatever, you just have to get on with it and defend properly.

“It’s not down to Couttsy that we conceded that first goal, and it’s nothing to do with Duffy if we give the ball away and don’t hold it up at the top of the pitch.

“Of course I’d love all my players fit and available, that’s just common sense, but having them missing gives an opportunity for others to come in. We brought people in to take a chance, they’ve got to take those chances and opportunities.

“We lost as a team at Preston - it wasn’t because of who’s at home, who’s suspended or ill. People are giving us leeway because we’ve spent six years out of the division and we’ve only just come up, but that ain’t for me.

“People have to recognise that we’re in a hole, and I’ve got to come up with an answer this week.”