Sheffield United have a clear objective after responding to Chris Wilder demand
Sheffield United climbed into the top half of the Championship table with a fully deserved 2-0 win over Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon.
As Leeds United, Burnley, Sheffield United and, for the most part, Sunderland pulled clear at the top last season, the rest of the Championship could only stand and watch.
Leeds and Burnley, who locked out the two automatic promotion places, finished on 100 points apiece, United finished third with 90 and Sunderland claimed fourth with 76. They were a class above their 20 Championship counterparts, so much so United finished 24 points ahead of seventh-placed Blackburn Rovers.
Although the Championship has continued to serve up unrivalled drama and entertainment, the quality and consistency has been nowhere near as good this season. Only Coventry City, who sealed promotion on Friday night, have been consistent at the top end of the table.
With less than a fortnight of the season to go, that is why only ten points separate Ipswich Town in second and Derby County in eighth. The quality and consistency has not been as forthcoming as it has in previous seasons this time around.
And that is why the Blades, who have lost 20 of their 43 Championship matches this season, can still bank a top ten finish. They jumped from 17th to 12th with Saturday’s 2-0 win over Watford at Vicarage Road, meaning they are now just a point behind tenth-placed Bristol City, who were beaten 4-2 by ninth-placed Norwich City on Saturday afternoon.
The congestion in the middle of the table, highlighted by the fact just three points separate Bristol City and Stoke City down in 17th, means one result, as United demonstrated on Saturday, can either bump you up or down the table in the blink of an eye. With Championship safety now mathematically guaranteed, United can apply full focus to finishing as high as possible.
Manager Chris Wilder, who conceded defeat in United’s unlikely looking play-off mission several weeks ago, has, in recent weeks, regularly highlighted his craving to finish as high up the table as possible, frequently urging his players to sign off for the summer in the best way they possibly can.
Given United lost out in the play-off final last season, losing 2-1 to Sunderland at Wembley, they went into this season with one ambition: clinching automatic promotion. However, for reasons well documented throughout the season, that ambition quickly fell away. Events of last summer, featuring the decision to sack Wilder and bring in Rubén Sellés, created plenty of unnecessary damage.
But considering United lost eight of their first ten Championship matches this season and as many as 11 of their first 14, relegation did become a very realistic threat. In fact, it is fair to say the Blades were sleepwalking towards League One at the time of Wilder’s return in September.
United’s steady climb up the Championship table since the 58-year-old’s return to S2 has not been without its complications. In fact, prior to last weekend’s 2-1 win over Hull City, the Blades were on a run of one win in their last eight matches.
However, back-to-back wins, all of a sudden, has propelled United up into the top half of the table. With three games left to play, a top ten finish has suddenly become a very realistic and achievable goal.
Nobody associated with the Blades, prior to the season getting underway, would have accepted anything less than another promotion push. However, taking the circumstances into account, a top ten finish would be respectable.
Securing a top ten finish, of course, is not going to prompt an end-of-season party, and nor should it. But it would strengthen the argument that Wilder is the right man to lead United’s rebuild this summer.
With games against Blackburn Rovers (H), Preston North End (H) and Derby County (A) to come in their final three, United will be hopeful of building on their recent upturn in form. Blackburn will arrive at Bramall Lane on Wednesday night with the ambition of potentially securing Championship safety, and in confident mood after an impressive performance against Coventry last time out.
That means United will not be able to take anything for granted against Michael O’Neill’s side. Preston, on the other hand, will travel to S2 next Saturday with nothing but pride to play for. Like United, they are not going up or down, meaning the Blades will be looking to take advantage of another team, just like Watford, going nowhere.
The final day trip to Derby could have plenty riding on it from a Rams persuasion. With three games left, they are just three points off the play-offs, meaning their clash with the Blades at Pride Park could be significant.
But considering United are only ahead of 16th-placed Preston on goal difference, it highlights the fact Wilder’s men still have work to do in their quest to finish as high up the table as possible. He is continuing to drive and demand standards, meaning a top ten finish is still very much alive.