Chris Wilder's transfer vow as Sheffield United face critical three-week period in survival bid

Chris Wilder believes "100 per cent" that his Sheffield United side will be stronger by the Blades' next Premier League game after identifying the next three weeks as a crucial period in their survival effort. The Blades signed off 2023 with a 2-0 defeat at Manchester City which saw United at least more competitive than they have been at other periods of the campaign so far.

After a breathless period which has seen six games crammed into the 25 days since Wilder re-took charge of the Blades, United don't now play a Premier League game until January 21's clash with West Ham and have a full week to prepare for next weekend's FA Cup trip to Gillingham. There is also the small matter of the January transfer window opening, with Wilder targeting two or three additions to his squad alongside the returns to fitness of the likes of Tom Davies, Rhian Brewster and Rhys Norrington-Davies, who made his first appearance in over 14 months in the dying stages against City.

Despite his fierce will to win Wilder was able to put the defeat in context, against a City team that were crowned world champions earlier this month after winning their fifth trophy of the calendar year, with emphasis more on the Blades' increased competitiveness across his six-game second reign as a whole.

"I think it is important the message is the right one," Wilder, who was without Anel Ahmedhodzic, Gus Hamer and James McAtee at City, said. "The six games we have had, Liverpool, Chelsea, Villa, the game today and even the other two, Luton and Brentford, how consistent they have been. I believe even the most critical of Sheffield United supporters will say we have been competitive in every game. Today was a reflection of the six games.

"Now we have to get rested, play an important cup tie and then some important Premier League games. We will have Anel back, Gus back, McAtee back. Three huge players that walk into our team. Hopefully Tom Davies will be closer. More minutes for Norrington-Davies and Brewster and on top we are looking at bringing two or three in who will make the group stronger.

"I 100 percent believe the group will be stronger when we play our next game. Let’s have a right go in the second half of the season. We have to get better, and I am sure we will."

After limited time on the training pitch since returning to Shirecliffe, Wilder and his coaching staff are now looking forward to a prolonged period to impress their ideas and methods upon those who they have not worked with before - and reinforce the messages to those they have. "The next three weeks are huge," Wilder added.

"I'm disappointed we haven't got five more points on the board. That's me assessing the period. There'll be more work on the training ground, that's been the biggest thing. We're a coached side, all the teams that we've put together since 2016 and even before at my previous clubs, they're well-coached. They know their jobs and their roles and responsibilities, in and out of possession, and now we need to get better with the ball.

"Because there's more to come from those players, in possession, and that'll come with intense work on the training pitch. The players have got to be ready for that and I'm sure they do. They have got an appetite to fight, we've seen that, and now we have to have that appetite to learn and get better on the training pitch."