A sweary and very unhappy manager, the race for Europe and a bit of perspective - SIX talking points from Sheffield United's 2-0 defeat at Leicester City

Defeat at the King Power leaves United eighth in the table, with two matches of their Premier League season remaining.

Here, we discuss six talking points from the Leicester loss.

Hold your hands up

So many Blades fans complain when any win they get is automatically put down to an off day for the opposition, so it's important sometimes to hold your hands up when it happens the other way. Yes, United were poor but Leicester were full value for their victory, which could even have been greater had it not been for a combination of wasteful finishing and Dean Henderson. Jamie Vardy and Harvey Barnes were a threat to United's backline all evening while, in comparison, Leicester's back three enjoyed a fairly comfortable 90 minutes and Kasper Schmeichel was forced into one save all game.

So United weren't bad?

Oh, they were. As Wilder said afterwards, they were found wanting in pretty much every aspect of the performance that they need to win a game of football - at any level, not just in the Premier League - and it was clearly the manner of the defeat, rather than the scoreline, that irked him the most. United were out-played but also, rarely for them, out-battled by a Leicester side who were at it from the very first whistle, and the manager was at a loss afterwards to explain why. The battle in midfield was won by the excellent Wilfred Ndidi who, according to the BA Analytics Twitter account, won 10 tackles and five interceptions, 13 of his 15 ground duels and three of four aerial duels tonight. Realistically, all United have lost tonight is the chance to make the Champions League and although no Blade should be exactly bouncing off the walls after a defeat, sometimes a little perspective can be a good thing.

A very unhappy manager

Wilder, though, pulled no punches in his post-match press conference and even via Zoom, there was no chance his general mood could have been misinterpreted. He admitted that he could have made any subs at half-time, and says he can't explain at the minute why United were so below-par. He'll ask the same question of his players tomorrow morning when they reconvene at Shirecliffe, and it will be on them to come up with the answers ahead of Monday's clash against Everton - the penultimate game of the season.

Tie Deano down ASAP

Without his saves tonight, United could have lost by four or five and although he has not had a great deal to do in recent weeks, he showed here that he is not becoming complacent. The Manchester United loanee's stock is rising by the week and there is serious talk at Old Trafford of him challenging David De Gea as No.1 next season. If that doesn't happen, for whatever reason, then another loan move looks like a move that suits all parties - and United are very unlikely to get anyone better. So, whatever happens in the last two games of the season, expect that conversation to take place between officials at Bramall Lane and Old Trafford over a possible third loan spell in South Yorkshire.

Is that United done now, then?

Far from it. As bad as they were tonight, they are still very much in the European picture and face two sides in their last two games that realistically have nothing to play for. That brings its own pressures, as Wilder alluded to in his pre-match press conference before this game, but tonight they came up against a Leicester team scrapping for their lives as they look to cling onto their Champions League place. Will Everton and Southampton's players have half an eye on the beach, especially after such a congested fixture schedule after the restart? They surely have too much professional pride for that, but there is no doubt that Wilder's men go into both games with more to prove - and more to gain.

Time for a reaction

Wilder didn't hold back with his post-match thoughts in the away dressing room at the King Power, and may still have steam coming out of his ears tomorrow when the players report back to Shirecliffe. “I’m a here-and-now manager who has watched my team completely underperform," he said. "I’m not going to sugarcoat it and go: 'Well done lads, because you were great last week.' It’s b******t.” Luckily, this is a United squad that is packed with not only good players, but good characters. They will no doubt be chomping at the bit to put this right, and will hopefully do so on Monday evening against Everton.

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