Sheffield United identify where they have been going wrong ahead of Tottenham Hotspur clash

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has denied a change of shape is required ahead of this evening’s meeting with Tottenham Hotspur, after attributing his team’s recent results to lapses in concentration rather than a broader systemic fault.
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United enter the game hoping to avoid a third straight Premier League defeat after being beaten by Newcastle and Manchester United following last month’s stalemate at Aston Villa.

Reminding his side would have been two points better off had goal line technology not failed to spot an Oliver Norwood free-kick had been carried into the back of the net by Orjan Nyland at Villa Park - a mistake compounded by the VAR official’s failure to intervene - Wilder said: “We are due some good refereeing performances, that’s for sure. We need to cut out the errors ourselves, that’s for sure.

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“To get a performance out of the boys, I also need to pick the right team. If you look at the goals, it’s not the structure. It’s elementary errors. So it might be concentration and from a confidence point of view. I look at the goals and seven out of eight of them are down to that.”

Boasting the top-flight’s second best defensive record prior to lockdown, United conceded three goals without reply during their visits to both St James’ Park and Old Trafford. Spurs’ rearguard has been breached only once in their two outings since competition returned a fortnight ago following the Covid-19 pandemic.

“You can’t legislate for mistakes,” Wilder said. “But the boys are working hard to rectify it.”

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