Liam Kitching arrives at Sheffield United - What does that mean for Chris Wilder’s defence?
Liam Kitching arrives at Sheffield United with good pedigree having gone up with Coventry City last season
With Liam Kitching’s arrival on Deadline Day, combined with a lack of O’Hare replacement, there could be a shift in formation for Wilder’s men.
The 26-year-old arrived after lifting the Championship trophy last season, and played a huge role in Coventry’s title-winning side, but found himself at a crossroads: competing for minutes in the Premier League or guaranteed minutes in the division he knows well.
Speaking to Sheffield United in his arrival interview, Kitching insisted he was ‘hungry to play games’ and is hopeful that he can be part of a team that ‘can take Sheffield United to where it belongs’.
He continued, “I know what it takes to get to the Premier League. Obviously, with my leadership skills and stuff like that, hopefully I can bring the lads on and do something special.”
The defender, who still lives in South Yorkshire, was full of praise for Blades boss Chris Wilder.
Kitching said: “I've always admired his work, obviously playing against his teams and meeting him today, one-on-one, it's been really good and I can't wait to work under him.”
But with the sale of star attacker O’Hare, Wilder may be forced into a change of system due to the absence of a clear number ten, after the Blades failed to replace their 2025/26 player of the season.
Although Wilder opted for a 4-4-2 on Tuesday night's victory over Bolton Wanderers, we could see the United boss experiment once again with five at the back.
This could see Kitching team up with McGuinness and Tanganga, which could allow McCallum/ Burrows and Sariki (when he’s fit) to adopt more of a ‘wing-back’ role.
But if Wilder prefers to stick with two centre-backs, it’s unlikely that Wilder would drop Tanganga, which could see McGuinness swapped in for Liam Kitching.
In terms of statistics, there isn’t much between the two per 90.
When comparing the 2025/26 numbers in all competitions, it’s an interesting comparison.
Stats via whoscored.com
Liam Kitching | Mark McGuinness | |
| Tackles | 1.02 | 0.52 |
| Interceptions | 0.93 | 0.79 |
| Clearances | 6.12 | 6.64 |
| Aeriel duels won | 3.66 | 4.18 |
In short, Liam Kitching has been more active in ground-based duels, whereas Mark McGuinness has demonstrated a stronger aerial presence.
Liam Kitching | Mark McGuinness | |
| Attempted passes | 53.73 | 37.12 |
| Pass accuracy | 84.34% | 84.82% |
| Long balls attempted | 6.63 | 4.09 |
| Long balls accurate | 2.56 | 1.76 |
The new loanee has been significantly more involved in build-up play. He attempted more passes and long balls per match, which could be of use to Wilder, providing a new ball-progressing dynamic to his central defence.
Kitching leads the way on average rating with an impressive 7.02 spread across 41 appearances, with McGuinness sat on 6.84 after 32 matches played.
If Chris Wilder is looking to keep his traditional four defenders, it seems Liam Kitching could offer a new style of play to his back line.