Sheffield United: Alan Shearer pinpoints key reason behind Blades' sensational 2019/20 season start

As domestic football pauses once again for the international break, the Blades sit up in the dizzying heights of fifth place, above the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Arsenal.

Giving his verdict on United's stellar start to the season, via the Premier League's official website, Shearer credited manager Chris Wilder for the team’s instant impact on the division, and said: "(The success is down to) The freedom that he gives all of his players to go and express themselves."

“He's taken the Premier League by storm, and he and his players deserve all the credit they are getting because they were up against one of the big boys (Spurs, in their 1-1 draw last weekend) of the Premier League, in a brand new stadium, and they were the better team.

Going on to pinpoint the key reason behind Wilder working wonders, Shearer suggested that manager's dogged determination to stick to his tactical guns was key.

He said: "They deserve more than they got and that's a credit to him as a manager for having the belief to say, 'No, I'm not changing anything. I'm not going to change what has got me to this position in the first place, how we were successful as a football club', and he’s carried that on in the big league against the big boys and it's working perfectly for him."

The Blades now have the luxury of eleven days to prepare for their next match - an eagerly-anticipated clash against Manchester United at Bramall Lane.