Sheffield United midfielder believes his team mates will respond against Everton after accepting criticism of their display at Leicester City was deserved

Sheffield United midfielder Oliver Norwood believes his team mates will be stung into action when Everton visit Bramall Lane on Monday night, after admitting the criticism they received following the defeat by Leicester City was warranted.
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Chris Wilder’s side missed the opportunity to climb to sixth in the Premier League table with only two matches remaining when they produced an uncharacteristically compliant performance at the King Power Stadium, with the manager later accusing his team of appearing content to do the “bare minimum” required.

The display was in stark contrast to the one they had delivered against Chelsea less than a week earlier, out-thinking and out-fighting the Londoners en route to a 3-0 win.

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Accepting Wilder was right to publicly expose the flaws in United’s game, Norwood said: “There’s still two games to go and we’re never happy with what we’ve done. There’s six points to play for, and we’ll be going all out and trying to get those six points.

“We’ve got to dust ourselves down and see how far it takes us.”

United began preparing for the meeting with Everton in eighth; only two points behind their rivals from the Black Country. They complete the 2019/20 schedule at Southampton next weekend.

Speaking after issuing his withering critique of United’s work against City - “I’m not going to sugar coat it by saying ‘well done lads, you were great last week (against Chelsea), that’s b******t” - Wilder suggested he could make wholesale changes for the clash with Carlo Ancelotti’s men. However, he is unlikely to carry out that threat, with more subtle adjustments being contemplated by coaching staff at the Steelphalt Academy. One of those could see John Fleck return to the starting eleven after he confirmed his recovery from injury by completing the second-half of Thursday’s fixture. However, Wilder later told the Scot he had done nothing to further his claims for a more prominent role against Everton.

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Conceding United must improve their focus and work off the ball in order to repeat September’s win over the Merseysiders, Norwood said: “We allowed them to break on us and it wasn’t a performance we're proud of.”

Sheffield United's Oliver Norwood admits Chris Wilder's side must issue a response when Everton visit Bramall Lane on Monday: Michael Regan/Pool via APSheffield United's Oliver Norwood admits Chris Wilder's side must issue a response when Everton visit Bramall Lane on Monday: Michael Regan/Pool via AP
Sheffield United's Oliver Norwood admits Chris Wilder's side must issue a response when Everton visit Bramall Lane on Monday: Michael Regan/Pool via AP

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