Sheffield United are told to harness the 'Power of the Underdog' as they prepare for battle against Chelsea

Chris Basham believes Sheffield United can use their game against Chelsea as a springboard towards Premier League survival, revealing how last season’s visit to Stamford Bridge proved to be a pivotal moment in the evolution of Chris Wilder’s squad.
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Speaking ahead of this evening’s game against Frank Lampard’s side, Basham described how snatching a draw at the home of the six-time champions convinced United they “belonged” at top-flight level after being told they were destined for relegation.

One year on, Wilder’s men return to west London searching for their first win of the new campaign having lost six and drawn one of their seven outings so far. But Basham, a veteran of the team which finished ninth in the table earlier this year, is adamant today’s trip to the capital can herald the start of another glorious chapter in United’s history.

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“We were losing 2-0 at their place last time and thinking ‘Where is the fight? Where are we going to get something out of this? Where is the spark coming from?’ That’s what we were wondering,” Basham told The Star. “That spark came in the second-half, when we came back strongly. That was when, remembering what happened, we all thought we belonged in the division. We went on a run of great form and hopefully we can do that again.”

Urging his colleagues to harness the power of the underdog in their battle to climb the rankings, Basham continued: “It’s a ground where, in the (Jose) Mourinho era, with Lampard, John Terry and all the money (owner) Roman Abramovich has spent, there’s a real ‘wow’ factor. But you wanted to prove yourself against those great players and you want to prove yourself against the great players they’ve got now.

“It’s always that underdog feeling that’s helped me through my career and playing for Sheffield United.”

Wilder, who will again be without Jack O’Connell (knee), Lys Mousset (toe) and John Fleck (back), is also unable to select the on-loan Ethan Ampadu against his parent club. Despite losing to Liverpool and Manchester City in recent weeks, Basham is certain the performances United produced during both fixtures demonstrates there is no shortage of self-belief at Bramall Lane.

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“The chats we’ve had have all been about going out there, expressing ourselves, have some pride and enjoy being in the Premier League,” he said. “To prove people wrong is a great feeling in life.

Chris Basham is convinced Sheffield United can beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge: Simon Bellis/SportimageChris Basham is convinced Sheffield United can beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Chris Basham is convinced Sheffield United can beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

"Let’s enjoy being Premier League footballers and show we are Premier League footballers, coming up against all of these great names. We’ve been written off before and it’s something we can use, because we know what we’re capable of and we’ve shown it before.”

"We’ve got the right characters here,” Basham added. “We’ve got talented players here. Character and attitude is always important, no matter what is happening. But they are even more importan when things aren’t going your way, and we’ve got enough of both to make sure we can come through this. We’ve had a good, positive week and will be looking to take that out onto the pitch with us.”

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