The post-lockdown table that shows exactly how loss of fans has affected Sheffield United

Chris Wilder, the United manager, believes that playing games behind closed doors has affected his team more than any other in the Premier League, and it's difficult to argue - especially when considering the Premier League table since football resumed in June.

Of the 17 games United have played in the league since they kicked off Project Restart at Aston Villa, the Blades have won just three - curiously against European sides Chelsea, Spurs and Wolves - and lost 11, scoring just 10 goals and shipping 24.

Their 12 points in the behind-closed-doors table, made up of teams who played in the Premier League in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, is the lowest in the division, working out at just 0.71 points per game.

Before lockdown, United had 11 wins and 10 draws from their 28 games and were seventh in the Premier League table, just two points behind Manchester United in fifth.

After Saturday's defeat to Manchester City, with Kyle Walker scoring the winner against his boyhood club, United are still looking for their first win of the season ahead of this weekend's trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.

The loss of fans was again felt against Pep Guardiola's men. United had a spell of pressure in the second half, where usually a packed full house would have roared them on and possibly helped them get back in the game.

As it happened, City rode the relative storm and the game returned to something akin a training game, which would always suit City's megastars over United's charges.

"We are missing that edge that we have," skipper Billy Sharp, who is one goal away from 100 in the league for the Blades, admitted recently.

"We thrive off the fans backing us and thrive off opposition fans.

"It's the same for both teams but we haven't quite adapted to it.

"We will stick together and try and get that win on the board."