Chris Wilder issues defiant statement as Newcastle United hold key to Sheffield United’s Premier League fate

Chris Wilder has issued a defiant statement ahead of his side’s clash against Newcastle United at St James’ Park. A defeat for the Blades today would see their relegation from the Premier League confirmed, whilst a draw means they can only match Nottingham Forest’s current points total of 26 - with a 41 inferior goal difference, effectively, but not mathematically, also relegating them.

It has been a hard campaign for the Blades but Wilder insists that his team will go out to try and put on a performance for their travelling fans. He said: “We know we’ve had a poor season, that’s there for everyone to see. We’ve had to take that, the narrative and the words and the criticism. But as I say it doesn’t last forever, we will learn, we’re always learning and I’m learning as a manager at my ripe-old age and with a thousand games under my belt.

“I’m not sat here thinking everything is great, but I am sat here with a load of optimism about the future, the future of the football club. It’s a poor season but it’s not a poor football club. We’ve been in far worse positions than this as a football club, certainly over my time as a supporter and player and as a manager. 

“We will come again if the inevitable does happen at the weekend and we will try our best, as we always did and as we did on Wednesday night at Old Trafford, to get a result for our club, for our supporters, who were yet again magnificent, and we will go right to the end, whatever the situation is, whatever team we pick and whoever we are playing against.”

Newcastle United’s quest to qualify for European football next season sees them come up against Sheffield United this weekend before making the trip to face Burnley at Turf Moor, meaning the Magpies could have a very big say in the battle for survival. Newcastle confirmed Burnley’s relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the 2021/22 season in a campaign that saw Newcastle begin with 14 winless games - a run that ended against the Clarets in December.