Sheffield United: The remarkable stat that highlights skipper Billy Sharp's importance to the Blades

And a telling statistic revealed by EFL sponsors SkyBet illustrates it perfectly'¦Â United are unbeaten in the last 35 games that striker Sharp has scored in, winning 29 and drawing six.

 

Sharp began the season out of the side after Blades boss Chris Wilder elected to partner David McGoldrick with Leon Clarke, but Sharp seized his chance when it was presented and his goal on Saturday against Aston Villa was his fourth in six games.

 

'It's great for Billy to get a couple of goals,' Wilder said of Sharp last month.

 

'As I've said I want reactions from players, I don't want them to sulk, and Billy has been the perfect captain in and around the place.

 

"We felt it was right to go with Leon and David in the first two games because their form in pre-season was excellent and they looked a decent partnership. But players have to be ready to go in and prove the manager wrong.

"I want fighters and winners, and Billy has fought. I don't think his motivation is to stick it to me because we haven't got that relationship, but I need 22 or 23 players like that, doing whatever needs to be done for the best of the club.'