“Not stupid...” - Chris Wilder explains Gus Hamer Sheffield United situation after Leeds United disappointment

Chris Wilder has explained the risk/reward decision that saw him decline to risk star man Gus Hamer for Sheffield United’s crunch clash with rivals Leeds United on Monday evening. The Brazilian-born forward has been United’s best attacking force this season but missed the previous weekend’s trip to Luton Town with a hamstring injury.

While many expected him to be back in the starting XI to face Leeds - a side who, as we revealed at the time, tried to sign him from the Blades in the summer - he was only fit enough to make the bench, coming on as a substitute just before the hour mark with United 1-0 up thanks to Illan Meslier’s bizarre own goal.

But the game turned when Junior Firpo headed Leeds level in the 72nd minute, with Ao Tanaka then putting them ahead two minutes from time when Hamer switched off at the back post from a corner and left the Japan international free. Joel Piroe capped victory for Leeds with a long-range shot moments later as Daniel Farke’s men took another huge step towards the league title, leaving United to focus on this weekend’s trip to QPR.

Wilder has been consistent with his attitude towards risking players who are carrying knocks; had the Leeds game been the third-to-last game of the season, rather than the 13th, then he may have gambled by starting Hamer. But with a dozen key games now remaining in the race for the Premier League - including a tough trip to third-placed Burnley towards the end of the season.

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“I’m not daft,” said Wilder on Hamer’s situation. “He’s been our best player and if I felt it was right to play him, then I would have done. It wasn’t just me [that made the decision] - it was taken from a medical point of view with the conditioners and the physios. If we could, of I’d have tried to get him out there for 60 minutes. I’m not stupid.

“But we all knew that from the off, for him to even be involved was a challenge right the way through. Off the back of the Boro game where he came off, it was always going to be a big challenge and it was a big challenge for Tom Cannon as well. But we got them out there, and hopefully now he’ll be OK getting through that 30 minutes and we’ll be OK looking forward to the weekend.”

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United have more injury concern ahead of the trip to Loftus Road, with on-loan Ipswich Town man Harry Clarke making way at half-time against Leeds with a fitness issue. Alfie Gilchrist was also left wearing a protective boot last week after suffering an ankle injury in training while Femi Seriki and Jamie Shackleton are not quite ready to return to the squad, leaving Hamza Choudhury on standby to play at right-back against Martí Cifuentes’ side.

“Harry had an issue, so he had to come off at half-time,” Wilder confirmed. “That wasn’t ideal. Alfie got injured in training, Femi who can cover right-back and Shacks as well are not ready to be involved in the group just yet. So Hamza’s had to play out of position a little bit. But he got on with the job.

“We just lost a little bit of control second half and didn’t find that bit of quality. When they’re pushing forward and chasing the game, then counter-attack is something you need to nail down and we didn’t. It wasn’t a negative performance from us, we just got pushed back by good players. Good players find those big moments, and they found them.”