Manager reveals the mentality driving Sheffield United's push for Europe, even though they are refusing to contemplate the prospect

Speaking after watching United climb to sixth following an emphatic 3-0 win over Chelsea, Wilder was asked if reaching either the Europa League or the Champions League is now a real possibility, only a season after their promotion from the Championship.

Claiming “you guys and girls are the only ones talking about that”, Wilder purposefully avoided all talk of the Premier League table, saying: “They (the players) are enjoying the challenge. We are enjoying the challenge.

“But it’s dangerous getting ahead of yourself and thinking you’re this or that.

“We’ve got a really great game coming up against Leicester and it’s going to be a really tough one too. Because they’re right up there and going really, really well.”

Although Wilder’s response did not reveal the whole truth - privately, United are well aware of the opportunity they have created for themselves - it betrayed the fact coaching staff are determined to prevent outside noise from diluting the message being delivered by the 52-year-old, his assistant Alan Knill and coach Matt Prestridge inside the dressing room. That revolves around the importance of concentrating solely on the next game, rather than being distracted by the size of the prize on offer.

“Nobody is talking about it (Europe),” Wilder said, after watching his team take 11 points from seven league outings since returning to action following the Covid-19 pandemic. “It’s just on to the next game for us, we are just after another performance from the players.

“They’ve got back into the rhythm they had pre-lockdown. They are leaving it all out there. We can’t go off the pace against anyone in this division, because if we are off the pace then we won’t get anything.”

"We don’t look at anything other than that," Wilder added. "If other people want to talk about stuff, then that’s up to them.”

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