'Can't' - Chris Wilder in Leeds United message as Sheffield United close gap with admission and record 'must'
Sheffield United have closed back in on Daniel Farke’s Whites.
Blades boss Chris Wilder has delivered a determined Leeds United message about his Sheffield United side upon closing back in on Daniel Farke’s Whites.
Wilder’s second-placed side fell five points behind Farke’s table-topping Whites on Monday night as Leeds left Bramall Lane with a 3-1 comeback success.
The Blades, though, were offered a new chance to close as Leeds were held to a 1-1 draw by West Brom in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off at Elland Road and Wilder’s side took full advantage by recording a 2-1 win at QPR.
Speaking post match, Wilder admitted his side were left “pretty down” by Monday’s defeat to Leeds but declared that the setback “can’t” define his side’s season.
The Blades boss also declared that the Leeds contest did not feel like a 3-1 defeat game.
Five days later, his side bounced back with yet another away win at Loftus Road, taking Sheffield United’s haul on the road to an impressive 37 points from 18 games.
No other team can match that and Wilder says his side must continue with the division’s best away record to keep “nudging” up their overall tally.
Wilder said: “I’m delighted with the reaction from Monday night. We were all pretty down on Tuesday. To play as well as we did and not get anything from the game was quite difficult to take.
“But we talked about it, it can’t define our season, and our reaction to the disappointment has been absolutely first class. We put everything into this game.
“They (the players) lifted me this week because we were really down on Monday night and Tuesday. The attitude of the group when we came into work was incredibly positive.
“There’s times I have to lift the players but certainly the players and their approach – they’ve done outstandingly well.”
Speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield, Wilder said: "I have to say yet again I was so proud of the players. It was so disappointing on Monday night because they deserved a little bit more than what happened.
"It definitely wasn't a 3-1 and we were all pretty down on Tuesday. But the reaction yet again was first class. It has never been an easy place to come here and we were up against a competitive team.
"We have done what we needed to do which is get the win. We have the best away record in the division and we are proud of it. It is something we need to hold on to if we are going to keep nudging our points total up."