Sheffield United: 'Game was lost in our changing room, not won in Swansea's' says Blades boss Chris Wilder after defeat at Liberty Stadium

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder felt his side were architects of their own downfall this evening as they lost 1-0 to Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium.
Chris WilderChris Wilder
Chris Wilder

United dominated the first half against Swans but missed good chances through David McGoldrick and Billy Sharp, before Oli McBurnie scored a second-half winner to end United's four-match winning run.

And boss Wilder, who handed a debut to Gary Madine off the bench, said: "The attitude of the team was great. They kept going and going and going. It was just that bit of quality, but when we lose we go out the front door.

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"Take the Middlesbrough game out of it early in the season, every game we've lost this season we've been right in and the result, for me, was lost in our changing room, and not won in theirs."

McBurnie missed two second-half chances before the breakthrough eventually came. From a set-piece, former Blade Nathan Dyer played a neat one-two with defender Mike Van der Hoorn before crossing for the former Barnsley striker, who couldn't miss.

"They had ten minutes of the game," Wilder added.

"I've just said to the players that a lot of Championship games are very tight, 50/50 or 55/45... that's not been a tight game today.

Chris WilderChris Wilder
Chris Wilder

"We turned over possession too easily in the second half and should have been 2-0 up at half-time, before they found that bit of quality.

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"We've been in that position half a dozen times and not found it."

United missed the chance to go back into the automatic promotion places, folllowing Norwich's victory over Birmingham on Friday night, and could have cut the gap on leaders Leeds with victory after they lost at Stoke.

"I thought we were outstanding in the first half in the way we controlled the game against a really talented group of players," Wilder added.

"But we should have put the game to bed. We should have been two up at half time and I shouldn't have been making changes after half time to get back into the game. I should have been making changes to see out the game.

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"In the first 10 minutes of the second half we got a little bit sloppy. They changed their shape which gave us a little bit of problem, but we allowed them a foothold into the game.

"They had one bit of quality, but we did that half a dozen times and couldn't find the finish.

"Then, when we were chasing the game, we were disappointed with the final ball."