Sheffield United: '˜Comments about my side show respect from rest of division' says manager Chris Wilder

As he thinks back to the Derby side featuring a recent England call-up, managed by a Premier League legend and Champions League winner, Chris Wilder can scarcely get his head around talk of Sheffield United's defeat at Pride Park on Saturday being 'an upset'. Â
Chris Wilder manager of Sheffield UtdChris Wilder manager of Sheffield Utd
Chris Wilder manager of Sheffield Utd

Yet those, he also concedes, are the standards that his Blades have set themselves and as they prepare for their latest test, at Bramall Lane against big-spending Stoke City, there can be little doubt that they deserve respect from the rest of the division. "It's sometimes difficult to look at the perception that 'the underdog' won on Saturday," Wilder admitted.

"It was a tight game against a team who are quite a powerful club in this division.

Chris Wilder manager of Sheffield UtdChris Wilder manager of Sheffield Utd
Chris Wilder manager of Sheffield Utd
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"I had a drink in the office afterwards and they were saying '˜apart from our result, it has been a good day for you because all the other teams at the top lost'. That takes some getting my head around, but it shows respect for where we are at. 

"Whether we should be there among these powerful clubs or not... maybe we are not expected to be. But we have picked up 25 points.

"The target is to get in a position around Christmas where results and performances are consistent."