Sheffield United captain Japhet Tanganga says the Blades must “redeem” themselves with a win at Stoke City after Wednesday’s damaging Carabao Cup exit at Fleetwood Town.

Skipper Japhet Tanganga admits Sheffield United have to “redeem” themselves after Wednesday night’s cup exit at the hands of League Two Fleetwood Town - and suggests that only a win at Stoke City tomorrow will do it. The Blades were well below par as they crashed out of the cup at Highbury.

Midfielder Sydie Peck apologised to supporters on Instagram and boss Chris Wilder made similar comments in his press conference ahead of the trip to Staffordshire, admitting the Blades had let a lot of people down with their display on the coast.

A few home truths were delivered in the away dressing room, even before Wilder walked in, but at least there is a quick chance to bounce back as United face Stoke at 12.30pm.

“I don't want to put crazy pressure on us, but we have to win,” said Tanganga. “Simple as. Last Sunday we gave a good account of ourselves against Wolves, a team that I’m pretty sure everyone has as one of their favourites to go back up.

“It's a moment of quality or lack of concentration from us, but they got a goal in the last minute and I don't think we deserved that. But Wednesday, we know it's not good enough for the fans to travel all the way there to see the way that we performed, and we didn't attack the game.

“So we know ourselves that we need to go and win on Saturday. Plain and simple. That's the pressure we're putting on ourselves as players, and we know we've just got to right our wrongs, plain and simple.”

Tanganga and Co. were booed off by Unitedites at Fleetwood, with the travelling fans quick to voice their displeasure at what they had witnessed. “They travelled all that way to come and support us.

“In a game that, with no disrespect to Fleetwood, we were the favourites and the ones that everyone's looking at to go through into the next round. They got the result, and we didn't.

“I think that's down to us, obviously, not doing the things that we should have been doing. We know that it's not good enough, and we need to right our wrongs.

“It's their opinion, and they have the right to that. They pay for the tickets. They pay to come and watch us, and if that's what we're producing in front of them, it's not good enough.

“So they have every right to voice their opinion and let us know. And we know that, not just for them, but for ourselves, we've got to right our wrongs on Saturday against Stoke and go in there and give a performance.

“But there’s no guarantee. We've got to win, but there's no guarantee that we're going to go in there and get three points. Stoke aren't just going to let us go in there and get three points.

“But we've got to basically redeem ourselves with a performance to show that we care and we want to win. And that's plain and simple.”