Sheffield United star reveals why he suffers from regular headaches

Premier League players would clearly win a technical war.

But there were suspicions they were a little flaky and ill-equipped to survive when the going got tough.

Those days, Sheffield United were reminded at the beginning of the season, are now long gone.

Chris Wilder already knew it but, after spending an hour-and-a-half trying to prise apart Watford’s defence during October’s stalemate at Vicarage Road, his squad departed Hertfordshire in no doubt too that, thanks to advances in sports science and pre-match training programmes, footballers at the highest level were not only gifted, they were also imposing physical specimens.

The men Quique Sanchez Flores tasked with thwarting the visitors attack all stood over six feet tall and could have boxed as cruiserweights.

Seventh in the table with only 11 matches remaining, United have clearly overcome this challenge.

But Oliver Norwood admits the psychological demands of competing against the best in the business are still taking their toll.

“I often say to the wife that I come off the pitch with a headache, because that’s how much you’ve got to concentrate,” the midfielder said.

“I actually think the mind side of things is the biggest difference between being here, in the Prem, and the Championship.”

Norwood, like 12 other members of his squad Wilder deployed during Saturday’s meeting with Brighton and Hove Albion, is in the perfect position to judge having competed in the second tier last term.

The schedule is less gruelling - United’s draw with Graham Potter’s side was their 31st outing of the season so far, compared to the 36 they had contested at the same stage last term - but the tactical sophistication of PL performers means they have to think more.

“If you switch off for a second, that’s it, they’ve gone,” Norwood continued. “You’ve lost the guy you’re supposed to be picking up and, the chances are, you’re not going to catch them up because the ball is moved so quickly.”

Chris Basham, another veteran of the team which helped United secure promotion 10 months ago, has also spoken extensively on the subject in recent weeks. But both the defender and Norwood can take comfort from the fact that clearly, given they remain on the cusp of the Champions League places, United have also caused opponents a great deal of stress.

Faced with another blank weekend on the fixture calendar thanks to Aston Villa’s involvement in the EFL Cup final, Wilder is expected to use the opportunity to help his charges refuel mentally as well as physically.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into what we do,” Norwood said. “The boys put it all in and that’s what you’ve got to do.

“But we’re enjoying it and we want to keep driving it forward, try to keep on getting better and see where it takes us. We don’t want to settle for what we’ve got and that’s the attitude of the group.”