Oli McBurnie says Sheffield United are in better physical shape than before lockdown - and it's all because of Chris Wilder

Striker Oli McBurnie says the physical shape he and his Sheffield United teammates have returned in after lockdown shows the respect they have for manager Chris Wilder.
By Danny Hall
Published 8th Jun 2020, 17:00 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2020, 17:11 BST
Oli McBurnie of Sheffield Utd training at Bramall Lane last week: Simon Bellis/SportimageOli McBurnie of Sheffield Utd training at Bramall Lane last week: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Oli McBurnie of Sheffield Utd training at Bramall Lane last week: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

McBurnie and Co. recently returned to United's training ground after being given the go-ahead to kick-off the Premier League's restart next week, away at Aston Villa.

United's players were given strict training programmes to follow while in lockdown, and McBurnie revealed: “The gaffer kept in touch with us all.

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“He was texting most of the boys, asking how everyone was getting on. Lockdown was as hard for him as it was for us. Worrying about whether we were staying in good nick was probably his main concern.

“A lot of the boys look better than they did when the season was stopped. The shape the lads came back in said a lot about the respect the lads hold the gaffer in, 100 per cent. But those 2,000-metre runs we had to all do once back in were not fun. I never want to do them again.”

United were seventh in the Premier League table when the season was suspended due to coronavirus. They can leapfrog Wolves and Manchester United into fifth place with victory at Villa Park next week.

Fifth place could yet prove enough to earn a Champions League spot if Manchester City's two-year UEFA ban is upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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“These are unprecedented times,” added McBurnie, in an interview with The Athletic.

“Nobody knows what is around the corner but our focus is on ourselves and finishing this season right."

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Related topics:Oli McBurnieChris WilderPremier LeagueAston VillaManchester UnitedChampions LeagueWolves

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