Chris Wilder ‘after more’ as Sheffield United reach 40-point mark

Chris Wilder is confident Sheffield United have secured another season of Premier League football at Bramall Lane.

The Blades boss’s observation is an understatement considering his side are firmly in contention for the European places – but Wilder is not one to count his chickens.

Wilder’s team have been the surprise package in the Premier League after many tipped them for an immediate return to the Championship but the club’s first top-flight campaign for 12 years has been a resounding success to date, with the side currently sitting sixth in the table.

Survival was the aim at the beginning of the campaign and Saturday’s home draw with Brighton saw the Blades reach the 40-point mark – the tally generally accepted to be enough to stay up.

“It’s something that we’ve not been looking at – much,” joked Wilder. “Every ground that we go to in the Premier League is fabulous and I’d like to think that gives us another season at this level.

“I think knowing what we are about as a manager, staff and players, we are disappointed not to have two more points.

“To get to 40 is great but we are after more. We’ve got some fantastic games coming up that we are all looking forward to and a tough FA Cup tie that we will go and attack in the same manner.

“We are in a groove, we are in a good place, the club is in a good place and I have to make sure this continues.

“I’m delighted with how everything is going – performances, points tally and the way we are going about it and how we have played in this brilliant division.

“We’ve all had to up our game, we spoke about it in the summer. We’ve acquitted ourselves very well against the top six, and especially the top two very well. We’ve attacked every game.”