Chris Wilder explains Sheffield United goalkeeping decision as he hopes for more tough choices

Chris Wilder has explained the reasoning behind his decision to keep faith with Wes Foderingham for Sheffield United's 5-0 defeat to Brighton at the weekend, despite his previous No.1 choice Ivo Grbic returning to fitness. The Croatian 'keeper missed two games after being concussed on his Premier League debut at Crystal Palace earlier this month.

Grbic was heralded as United's new No.1 goalkeeper after arriving from Atletico Madrid during the last transfer window but suffered a tough start to life in England, conceding five goals on his debut against Brighton in the FA Cup before being wiped out by Jean-Philippe Mateta at Selhurst Park. Grbic was initially reluctant to come off before United's club doctor made the call and the goalkeeper subsequently missed 12 days through football's tougher new concussion protocols.

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After Wilder's public insistence that Grbic was his first-choice goalkeeper Foderingham was expected to revert to the bench after deputising for the 5-0 defeat to Aston Villa and the 3-1 victory at Luton Town that followed it. But the former Rangers stopper retained the gloves against Roberto De Zerbi's Seagulls and shipped five more goals in the latest heavy defeat of the season for the bottom-club Blades.

It was a decision that Wilder welcomed and wants to have to make more often, after more injuries in the build-up robbed him of valuable options for the Brighton clash. Max Lowe and Rhys Norrington-Davies will both miss the rest of the season after being injured at Luton Town while United were handed a further blow shortly before Sunday's clash as Cameron Archer picked up a calf complaint.

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"We decided off the back of last week," Wilder said of his goalkeeping decision. "Ivo had concussion and Wes had been part of a really good performance. Everything he did was tidy and I thought it was the right thing to do. It gives Ivo another week to get ready. It was tight decision that I made and I’d like more tight decisions. I’ve not had enough of them.

"I don’t like the tight decision to play Will Osula. This is nothing against Will as a young kid but when Cameron Archer plays that well last week, I want him available. I don’t like the decisions that we have to make when I lose Lowey and Rhys Norrington-Davies for the season. These are things that are really hurting us and have hurt the club over the last two and a bit years.

"It’s getting continuity and consistency into selection and having difficult decisions to make, which I’m all over. If I can, if I’ve got options. People say: 'Oh, you’ve got to make some tough decisions' but I’ll make those decisions and if I’ve got as many options as possible, I’ll be absolutely delighted. But what you’re seeing at the moment is we’re trying to chuck a team together to get a result."