Sheffield United: Chris Wilder issues an important directive to his team

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has told his players the club's rapid rise through the divisions must not be used as an excuse for making mistakes in the Premier League.
Chris Wilder Simon Bellis/SportimageChris Wilder Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Chris Wilder Simon Bellis/Sportimage

Speaking ahead of Saturday's visit to Watford, where they will encounter opponents searching for their first win this term, the 52-year-old admitted United must cut out the individual errors he believes have cost them a place in the top-half of the table.

Despite making an encouraging start to the new season after being promoted last term, Wilder said: "Six years ago or so, this (the top-flight) will have felt like a million years away. The journey has been quick, it's been rapid. We have to do ourselves justice both on and off the pitch. Not be satisfied with anything. Just keep trying to drive things forward and striving to get better."

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United had just finished mid-table in the third tier of English football when Wilder was appointed in 2016. After delivering the League One title at the first time of asking, he then steered them out of the Championship six months ago.

Although they will travel to Hertfordshire in 12th - eight places above Quique Sánchez Flores' side - Wilder insists his squad should have put even more daylight between themselves and the relegation zone after quickly adapting to life at the highest level.

Having accused United of "giving" goals away during recent defeats to Southampton and Liverpool, Wilder, whose squad produced an otherwise exceptional display against Jurgen Klopp's men, said: "We've been really good, by and large, in between both boxes. But it's there, in both boxes, where things happen that settle games.

"You can't legislate for individual errors and we had them in both boxes (against Liverpool)."

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"You just try and deal with every step and every progression," Wilder added. "The next step for us was coming into the Premier League. We want more of it and so do the players. It's game on and then there's a game of football to be attacked."