Sheffield United: '˜We're still in promotion hunt' says Chris Wilder ahead of Preston test

Manager Chris Wilder has issued a passionate rallying cry ahead of Sheffield United's trip to Preston this afternoon, insisting: We are still in the hunt for promotion.
Sheffield United manager Chris WilderSheffield United manager Chris Wilder
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder

Wilder and his squad travel to Lancashire looking to end a mini-blip in form, which has seen them pick up just one point from their last four games. That run dropped United to sixth in the Championship table, four points ahead of seventh-placed Leeds but seven behind Cardiff City in second.

But Wilder, who will be forced into a reshuffle at Deepdale with John Fleck suspended, insisted: “We’re still in the mix, don’t worry about that. You won’t hear us making any predictions about the table or anything like that.

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“But if we’d have won the other night [at home to Bristol City] then we’d have gone third. Okay, we’ve dropped down a little bit, but that tells you something about how things can change.

“How there’s not a great deal in this. I still reckon we’re in the hunt. The lads deserve to be; I don’t think they’ve been handed anything. They’ve worked for it all and deserved everything they’ve got.”

Fleck, United’s influential Scottish midfielder, misses his side’s clashes with Preston, Aston Villa and Sunderland after being sent-off for a rash challenge on City’s Korey Smith on Friday evening. United, who had deservedly levelled through Leon Clarke after Jamie Paterson’s opener, hit the woodwork four times before City defender Aden Flint struck in stoppage time to condemn United to defeat.

“There’s no changes squad-wise for Preston,” Wilder added. “Everyone who was okay is okay so that’s good because we don’t have the numbers some have. The only thing we have is the disappointment that we didn’t turn a really good performance into a win. I think we deserved a touch more than what we got.”