Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder did pick out a couple of positives from his side’s 3-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday evening.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder was encouraged by the second half performances of Sydie Peck and Oliver Arblaster after they were introduced at half-time in Wednesday night’s 3-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers at Bramall Lane.

The Blades’ hopes of recording a third successive Championship victory for the first time since Christmas were extinguished by the interval after Blackburn raced into a three-goal lead via goals from Yuki Ohashi (2) and Ryōya Morishita.

The Lancashire outfit arrived at Bramall Lane with the ambition of getting the three points they needed to preserve their Championship status. Capitalising on United’s sloppy passing and poor defending, Michael O’Neill’s men were in complete control by the break, forcing Wilder to make four changes at the break.

Introducing Tyler Bindon, Leo Hjelde, Peck and Arblaster, Wilder also tweaked his side’s shape in an effort to give them an opportunity of getting back into the contest. Although they pulled one back via Harrison Burrows 12 minutes into the second half, United were unable to heap more pressure on Rovers.

United, to their credit, were the better side in the second half, creating an xG (expected goals) of 1.18 in comparison to Rovers’ 0.04, but the damage had long since been done. Nevertheless, Wilder felt the Blades improved following the introductions of Peck, who didn’t start the game because of illness, and Arblaster.

“I saw a spark in Sydie and a spark in Ollie,” Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield, reviewing his side’s second half showing. “We changed the shape; we played more forward, we played more direct and was more energy about us.

“They sit in, of course, as they have got something to protect. We had to take a couple of opportunities that we had to take. Tom had one to make it 3-2 and that might have made it interesting.

“We went to the end, but it is not going to be a pat on the back and a congratulations from us. The first half was miles off of it and not good enough for all the reasons that I have said.

“We looked bereft of energy, especially in the middle of the park and all over. Then it is a long way back, and they have to try and dig a performance out.

“We dug a performance out in the second half and I think it would have been interesting if we had got the second goal. But that was driven by Arblaster and Peck, in my opinion. We changed the formation to make it a little bit easier for us which we did and allowed us to put a little bit more pressure on them.

“But you can’t concede three goals at home, you can’t turn the ball over, you can’t play with that looseness, and you can’t play with that lack of sharpness and mobility.”