Sheffield United highlight valuable promotion trait in “huge” Watford result as Leeds United slip up
Sheffield United highlight valuable promotion trait in “huge” Watford result as Leeds United slip up
An emotional Chris Wilder hailed his Sheffield United side as they ground out a “huge” three points at his former club Watford this afternoon. The Blades went back level with joint-second Burnley and cut the gap to leaders Leeds, who slipped up to draw at Hull City, to just a single point.
United’s threadbare squad endured a mini slump over Christmas as they took one point from nine available against Burnley, West Brom and Sunderland and they were again hugely depleted at Vicarage Road. But they returned back up the M1 with three points thanks to goals from Gus Hamer and Andre Brooks, which hit the hosts’ good season record on home turf.
United are running on fumes at the minute and could have as many as nine players back available for their next Championship game against Norwich, a combination of returning injured players and new signings.
“It was quite emotional at the end because it’s a huge result,” Wilder admitted. “There have been tight games over Christmas that could have gone either way. It was game on for us today and we had to do what we needed to do.
“Sometimes you have to take the nice part out of the game, roll your sleeves up. How much do you want to win, how much do you want to dominate your opponent and how much do you want to get over the finishing line? And they’ve showed all those qualities.
“In the last 20 minutes they were running on heart and desire and attitude. They [Watford] pounded the goal but we just stood up to that. Young boys who are learning on the job at top-end Championship level.
“People talk about performances but you come to a stage where you need to get a result. Whatever it takes, whatever you have to do. Try and be good in the middle but, be good defensively and show your quality at the top of the pitch.
“I thought it was an even game in the middle bit, defensively we were outstanding and there were two great finishes.”