The Leeds United trait Sheffield United are taking inspiration from amid Chris Wilder's big promise to fans

Chris Wilder, the Sheffield United manager, is reluctantly taking inspiration from the Blades' Yorkshire rivals Leeds United after pledging that his side will be able to recover from the effects of their chastening season so far. The Blades are bottom of the Premier League table with 10 games to go, although a points deduction for one of their rivals Nottingham Forest has offered another chink of hope.

But it would be an almighty effort for Wilder to pick his bruised and beaten players off the floor and guide them to safety this season, based on what has happened so far and all signs point towards a Championship return. With a host of players out of contract, no real public direction from Prince Abdullah and little prospect of substantial transfer investment under the current ownership, many Blades fans have been left concerned about the immediate future of a club that has spent three of the last five seasons in the Premier League.

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Recent announcements about a new training ground and work on the Bramall Lane hotel at least show some progress is being made off-field and Wilder said: “I’m absolutely 100 per cent confident that we’ll be where we need to be in August. I know where we need to improve and what we need to do. I’ve been in this position before and I know what myself, my staff and the football club need in conjunction with what the owner wants and the city as well.

“Absolutely, 100 per cent we will get it right. The love of the football club from everybody will be there. They’re maybe not in love with it at the moment but they still love it, if that makes sense. I think that can happen at times, but ideally they love it and are in love with it. I think that’s what we’ve got to get it to be and maybe it’s not there at the moment.

“But we will get there and a lot of good things have happened over a long period of time. It’s not good at the moment, we all understand that and feel that, but it won’t die – the football club won’t go away. There are too many people with an affinity and love for it."

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Wilder doesn't have to look too far up the M1 for inspiration, with Leeds relegated last season. A host of their top stars subsequently left on loan, with a change of manager and ownership to boot, but Daniel Farke's men regrouped and moved top of the Championship at the weekend after beating Millwall.

The mood around Elland Road has been totally transformed amid an impressive run that also included a dramatic victory over previous champions-elect Leicester and Wilder said: “I look at Leeds United, who got relegated last year and a lot of the narrative would be very, very negative.

“I think you saw that game when they played against Leicester and what that looked like – and it was incredible. I’m not one to talk about rivals, especially in my own county, favourably. But you’ve got to say the atmosphere that night at Elland Road against Leicester was absolutely rocking and bouncing. So we will get it back to where we want it to be here at Bramall Lane."