Chris Wilder's next Sheffield United challenge is clear after statement Ipswich Town victory
Sheffield United will not give up on the play-offs - and nor should they.
If Saturday’s 3-1 win over Ipswich Town has not injected confidence into the veins of Sheffield United’s players, nothing will.
The Tractor Boys arrived in South Yorkshire brimming with confidence after a 2-0 win over Bristol City at Portman Road four days earlier secured a fifth successive win in league and cup.
They were hot on the heels of second-placed Middlesbrough, while league leaders Coventry City had drifted that little bit closer into view after a recent wobble.
Having lost three games in a row in all competitions, it was far from ideal form for the Blades to take into the clash with Kieran McKenna’s side. However, United prepared for the game in sound knowledge they had the advantage of being able to rely on their biggest strength at this moment in time: their home form.
The win over Ipswich marked a fifth win in their last six league games at Bramall Lane, meaning their home form is looking as though it is going to play a key role in keeping their play-off dream alive. United have won 16 points from a possible 18 on their own patch since the November international break, getting the better of Portsmouth (3-0), Stoke City (4-0), Birmingham City (3-0), Leicester City (3-1) and, of course, Ipswich.
Their excellent form at Bramall Lane in recent weeks has just about kept them in the play-off hunt - albeit at the back of the snaking queue to try and clinch a top six spot. Ahead of this weekend’s action, just nine points separate Wrexham in sixth and United in 17th. The gap would have been eight points had Wrexham not staged a dramatic comeback to beat QPR 3-2 last Saturday.
Regardless of the gap, United will be of the knowledge other clubs are, at this moment in time, in a better position than they are to try and extend their season come May. Nevertheless, the Blades will have no intentions of giving up on a turnaround that felt impossible only a few months ago.
With a game in hand to come against Oxford United at Bramall Lane next Tuesday night, United could have the opportunity to close the gap that little bit more - but first they must focus on Saturday’s trip to Millwall.
Much of the pre-match narrative at The Den is likely to centre around the possibility of outgoing Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan potentially making his Lions debut. A switch from Hillsborough to the capital is expected to go through before the weekend.
However, for Blades boss Chris Wilder there will only be one thing that matters to him: getting another three points on the board. As was the case against Ipswich, United will go into the contest as underdogs amid Millwall’s league position and impressive run of form that has seen them amass 13 points from their last six matches.
Additionally, United, for how good they have been at home of late, they have struggled on the road recently, losing four of their last five away trips. That record must improve if they are to navigate their way through the traffic and sneak their way into the play-off places.
United’s home form has been excellent
Since the beginning of December, United have won 13 points at home whereas they have only picked up three on their travels. Their S2 form is likely to do the bulk of the heavy lifting in their search for a top six spot, but they will need to pick up points on the road more frequently, highlighting exactly where an improvement is required.
After facing Millwall this weekend, United will come back up north for an S2 double-header, facing Oxford next Tuesday and then Middlesbrough the following Monday. Each game will represent its own challenges against teams who each have something to fight for.
The clash with Middlesbrough, who have won each of their last four in the league, is shaping up to be the sternest test on paper, but United, as they demonstrated against Ipswich, are capable of beating the Championship’s leading lights on home soil, and with a degree of swagger.
Looking beyond the block of three games in ten days against Millwall, Oxford and Middlesbrough, United will travel to Portsmouth on February 14 - just over a week before welcoming rivals Wednesday to Bramall Lane. The tussles with Portsmouth and Wednesday, with respect, need to produce six points if the Blades are serious about their play-off ambitions.
But with their home form ranking among the best records produced over the last three months, it is their away form Wilder needs to find a way to improve. On another day, had Djibril Soumare and Japhet Tanganga not been sent off, United probably would have beaten Charlton Athletic at The Valley earlier this month such was their early dominance, meaning they have demonstrated they can impose themselves on the road.
They just need to find a way to come up with that approach consistently to give them the best possible chance of clinching a top six berth.