Manager Chris Wilder tells the critics his Sheffield United team has nothing to prove

United will enter Saturday’s match against fellow strugglers West Bromwich Albion at the foot of the table, two points behind Slaven Bilic’s side after losing eight of their nine outings since returning to action in September.

Although that disappointing run of form has prompted questions about his team’s top-flight credentials, Wilder accused those already writing off United of having short memories following their ninth placed finish last season.

“These lads don’t have to prove anything to me,” he said. “They are Premier League players. They showed me that last year.

“But this is an incredible division we are in. We’re in there fighting though, and trying to close that gap. And we’re enjoying the challenge, even though we’re not enjoying our league position.”

United suffered their latest defeat three days ago, when a second-half goal from West Ham’s Sebastian Haller settled a tight contest at Bramall Lane. The overwhelming majority of United’s losses have also come via similarly tight margins, with only Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea, who spent more than £200m during the summer transfer window, beating them by two goals or more.

Wilder’s men took the lead when they faced reigning champions Liverpool at Anfield, before eventually going down 2-1 while Wilder’s men have also faced Manchester City and Arsenal in recent weeks.

Remembering how United challenged for a place in Europe earlier this year, despite languishing in League One when he first took charge in May 2016, Wilder said: “We have to play incredibly well, like we did last year. We know that, we’re not hiding away from it.

“But we are also in there fighting. I know what these lads are capable of and I know what they’re like, what they’ve got in them and the type of characters they are.

“We’ve been in every single game we’ve played, even though we’ve come up against clubs who are in a different world to most others in the division. That tells me something, and anyone who tries to say anything else is wrong. That’s not an opinion, that’s a fact. I know it and everyone knows it.”

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