What Sheffield United boss said about Everton, Nottingham Forest points deduction situation ahead of Brentford clash

Sheffield United are fully focused on their fight for Premier League survival rather than concerning themselves with their relegation rivals’ points deductions, Chris Wilder has insisted, after Everton’s latest sanction was handed down earlier this week. The Toffees were docked two further points for their overspending, dropping them to 16th in the table.

They now sit just two points clear of third-bottom Luton Town and 11 ahead of the bottom Blades, who are nine adrift of safety going into this weekend’s clash with Brentford. Everton were docked 10 points earlier in the season, reduced to six on appeal, while Nottingham Forest also had four points taken away for their own financial breach, although they have launched an appeal against the verdict.

That has led to some uncertainty around the bottom of the table but Wilder dismissed it as an issue for his side, admitting: “It isn't really uncertainty for us. The certainty is concentrating on our next game. Our full focus is on Brentford, not what’s happening elsewhere in the division.

"What will be will be, decisions will be made. My full focus is the prep for a really tough afternoon.”

United go into the game on the back of a promising draw against big-spending Chelsea last weekend, their third draw in their last four games. “We're on a roll aren't we? Unbeaten in one!” Wilder joked. “The performances have been good, the attitudes have been good, we want to keep that going. We've had to produce big performances in all those games and we'll need that type of performance to give us any opportunity at Brentford.”