The unusual step George Baldock has taken to help save Sheffield United's season

“I don’t watch Sky Sports as much as I used to,” he apologises after being asked, by a journalist representing another Premier League rights-holder, about the forthcoming introduction of concussion substitutes. “I’ve not heard about that but I love my rugby and it sounds similar to what they do. So why not? It seems like a sensible idea.”

Rather than being force fed a diet of discussion and magazine shows predicting Chris Wilder’s team are already down, the defender has personally curated his own hand-picked schedule of ‘must watch’ moments. They are plucked, he tells The Star head of tonight’s meeting with Manchester United, from its huge back catalogue of remarkable achievements before experiencing a dramatic slump in form.

“I’ve been looking back at some old games,” Baldock explains, speaking via Zoom from the club’s Steelphalt Academy training complex, where United are about to begin finalising their preparations for the meeting with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side. “It’s all about understanding and remembering that we can achieve great things, that we are capable of going toe to toe with the very best in the business, because we’ve done it countless times before.

“Things might not be going well at the moment. There’s nothing to be gained from pretending otherwise. But we know what we’re capable of because we’ve done it before. In fact, we’ve done it consistently over the last three or four years - ever since this manager came in really.”

After losing 11 of their opening 12 outings - the most recent of those defeats coming at Southampton on Sunday afternoon - United are approaching the 13th assignment of what has so far been a dispiriting campaign looking nothing like the bullish group of aggressive top-flight upstarts which took the competition by storm last term. Having only just been promoted from the Championship, Wilder’s men were showered with praise as they employed an attacking brand of football to finish ninth in the table. Five months on, with only a point to their names following that loss on the south coast, United find themselves cut adrift at the bottom of the division.

Baldock, however, still believes they can achieve safety despite acknowledging history suggests otherwise. Having rewatched footage of last season’s meeting between these two clubs, when United drew 3-3 with their namesakes from the North-West, he is even more convinced they can defy the odds again.

“We deserved that result, we more than deserved something from that game,” Baldock says, reflecting on a dramatic match which saw United establish a two goal lead, surrender it in the space of seven minutes, and then score a 90th minute equaliser. “That goes to show what we’re capable of and I’ve been going through that, just reinforcing in my mind how good we can be. Basically, the team is the same now as it was back then so we know what we can do.”

“I’ve basically been looking at myself,” Baldock continues, agreeing with Wilder’s assertion that everyone at Bramall Lane should consider if they are doing enough to help rescue the situation. “What more motivation do you need than to wake up in the morning knowing that you’re going into a Premier League game? What more motivation do you need to replicate some of the performances and results we’ve had in the past? I totally agree with what the gaffer says and anyone who questions him after what he’s done here, well, I don’t think I need to comment on that.”

Baldock, signed from MK Dons after Wilder had led United to the League One title in 2017, recently underlined his belief in Wilder by signing a new contract.

“I love it here and I’m proud to represent this football club,” he says. “It’s where I want to be and the time I’ve had here has been brilliant, for all sorts of reasons, even though I’m obviously not enjoying how we’re doing right now.

“I always remember the United fans coming to stadium:mk when we were down the leagues. I used to love the atmosphere they created and I always looked forward to them coming - that’s when I thought I’d love to be a part of it all. I can still picture us sat in the dressing room, as home players that day, listening to the fireworks going off and then seeing all the videos of them hanging off the gangways inside the stand. I love the city too, I’m settled here and my girlfriend is from here.

“This club, and this manager, has given me the opportunity to play Premier League football and that’s something I don’t forget.”

Baldock, aged 27, grew-up supporting the visitors from Old Trafford but reveals how his older brother Sam’s own journey through the professional ranks - a striker, he currently plays for Reading - prevented him from becoming a die-hard fan.

“It was my default position really, because I loved watching the Class of ‘92 - Beckham, Scholes and all of that lot - but to be honest my love and attention went away pretty soon when I started playing professionally myself,” Baldock says. “By then, I was more interested in who my mates were playing for and who my brother was playing for of course. Now my only real interest in helping Sheffield United.”

An important message: To help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to from the football team at The Star, please consider taking out a subscription to our new discounted sports-only package. You'll find all the details at https://www.thestar.co.uk/subscriptions/sports. Your support is much appreciated.