Chris Wilder bemoans gap that "cost" Sheffield United an impressive result at title-chasing Liverpool

Chris Wilder bemoaned the gap in physicality between his Sheffield United side and title-chasing Liverpool, admitting that the condition of his players “cost” the Blades a chance of a big result at Anfield. The Blades were widely written-off beforehand against Jurgen Klopp’s superstars but battled back to 1-1 in the second half before two late goals sealed victory for the hosts.

United’s gameplan almost worked to perfection as they limited Liverpool’s fabled attacking threats in terms of chances, conceding a freak goal when Ivo Grbic’s clearance hit Darwin Nunez and rebounded into the Blades net. United hit back when Conor Bradley diverted Gus Hamer’s header into his own net, before a screamer from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo’s 90th-minute header sent Liverpool back top.

United ratings v Liverpool as Grbic struggles but defenders impress

“It’s the physicality of the Premier League that’s biggest for me,” said Wilder. The best operators in the world manage at this level and, technically, players can do something out of nothing. Look at Mac Allister’s goal. From a bouncing ball, to fire it in the top corner was incredible.

“But we saw again the power and pace of the Premier League and playing at a place like Anfield, in front of 60,000, it doesn’t get much more difficult. Especially for Sheffield United, with the gulf between the two clubs. That gulf has taken a huge step forwards, with the players they brought on and the power and the pace.

“That has been our Achilles’ heel all season. You could see we were struggling to hang on in and get back for recovery runs late on. It’s a difficult one to take because you want the players to give everything they’ve got and you saw that tonight. But physically the gap, from where I want us to be and where we are, has hurt us all season. And once again it cost us tonight.”

Watch Grbic's horror moment v Liverpool as Nunez gives Reds freak lead

United could have gone 1-0 ahead inside the first minute when James McAtee missed a golden chance, with Ben Brereton Diaz just inches away from a back-post tap in from the resulting corner as the Blades started brightly. “I’m not so sure scoring early against Liverpool is the greatest of ideas,” smiled Wilder afterwards. “Poking the bear.

“The narrative before the game, you could sense it was about a comfortable evening for Liverpool and that we were just here to make the numbers up. That’s not our emotion. Our emotion is to do well for our football club and be competitive. We knew how the game was going to go, we knew we had to give up the ball and that they had players who could hurt us and we had to suffer. You have to go through those periods, stay in the game and take it deep.

“Ride your luck and hopefully things fall for you and it becomes a night where you can get something from the game. Unfortunately we came up against a team that has scored a lot of goals late on, and a world-class finish from a World Cup winner. Then you’re trying to chase it late on, change shape, and they get three and it’s done and dusted.”