With buildup continuing to the Steel City Derby next Monday evening, Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been waxing lyrical about his side as they get ready to face a rejuvenated Wednesday team under the charge of Steve Bruce.
Heading to Hillsborough for Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, we go to them in good form (second place in the Championship table) and good spirits following our 1-0 victory over fellow high flying West Bromwich Albion in our last game.
Speaking to the Star this week with only a two point gap to top spot and Norwich City, depending on how this weekend’s fixtures go, we could end Monday night at the top of the pile.
Clearly, that hasn’t been lost on Wilder as despite our unbeaten run stretching to six games now, he’s challenged the team to find a new gear and show even more improvement, stating that he doesn’t believe they have yet reached their ‘full potential’ as a group.
“We are in the race, aren’t we with 64 points after 34 games. We are in it and I want the players to believe. It is a fine line in terms of achieving to be arrogant or over-confident and I don’t think my team is. At times, we do not believe in ourselves as much as we possibly should do. But we have a lot of good players out there who want to run about and win games. We try and organise them and push them out there and try and get results.”
Unlike most who play down such rivalries ahead of derby games, Wilder is putting it straight out there and it’s not just bragging rights he’s after.
This could be a tasty game.