Alan Biggs: Sheffield United DO have Premier League quality just not quite enough in the area most needed

In fact, the Blades have plenty of proven top flight players. It’s just that they are light in the one area that wins matches.

Hence the fine margin - albeit a mighty important and expensive one - that separates Chris Wilder’s side from the levels they scaled through an almost super-human effort last season.

Allowing that certain key individuals have dipped below their own high standards this time, it’s worth looking at the number who can claim to be genuine Premier League performers.

I think we could name five straight off for starters - Chris Basham, John Egan, the back-to-form John Fleck and the much-missed injured pair of Jack O’Connell and Sander Berge.

Sheffield United striker Lys Mousset receives an ultimatum ahead of possible FA Cup return

Others have shown they can cut it - George Baldock, Enda Stevens, Oliver Norwood and, yes, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale who has weathered storms at two clubs in the top flight.

John Lundstram, too, has won his spurs despite the controversy over his refusal to sign a new deal. Vying to get into that group are Jayden Bogle, Max Lowe and Kean Bryan, with promising signs from all three.

Ben Osborn and Jack Robinson contribute reliably when required as does the seen-it-and-done-it veteran, Phil Jagielka. And Ethan Ampadu, on loan from Chelsea, has begun to look real quality.

That’s a lot of players - 17 - who CAN do it at this level.

Now to the forwards and here’s where the judgment gets tricky to the point of being brutal.

In the currency of goals, strikers have to be in double figures for the season before the term “top flight marksman” gets slapped on them.

By those strict terms, United don’t have one ...David McGoldrick 5, Billy Sharp 3, Oli Burke 1, Oli McBurnie 1, Lys Mousset 0, Rhian Brewster 0.

The six strikers at the club have just 10 league goals between them so far this season (still 10 more than Fleck, Lundstram and Norwood have provided from midfield).

But none has had a long run amid the switching of permutations. The older pair, Sharp and McGoldrick, have performed admirably and probably at their peak.Mousset proved last season he has what it takes but has been bedevilled by fitness problems, as has McBurnie.

Burke has the pace and trickery but not yet the composure. Brewster is having a tough time realising his potential.

Why Chris Wilder has renewed belief over Sheffield United's vital upcoming games in battle against the drop

Together as a package, there’s clearly something missing in this area that only a lot of money can buy. As there is in terms of a David Brooks-style runner from deeper.

But it’s still a pretty decent squad as a whole and kept largely intact - always a challenge if a team is relegated - you’d back it for an instant rebound from the Championship.

And, by the way, allowing for the odd dud, check how many of those graduated Premier League performers were signed by Wilder and his recruitment chief Paul Mitchell, earning the club a huge amount of stock value in the process of a two division climb.

Other than Sharp, you’ll find only Basham wasn’t. Do United really want to relegate Wilder to “head coach”, subservient to a new recruitment model?

For the best coverage of Sheffield United every day of the week, subscribe to The Star from as little as £1 for two months. All the details on how to sign up are HERE