Blades can be 'effective, exciting... and entertaining'

"Are you not entertained?" screamed Maximus in the epic film Gladiator after dispatching his latest opponents in front of a baying crowd.

Well, that might as well have been Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder after his side delivered a scintillating performance of style and substance in putting Middlesbrough to the sword at Bramall Lane on Wednesday night.

Wilder had bristled in his pre and post-match media interviews after questions were raised by supporters over the manner in which the Blades beat Portsmouth last weekend.

One United fan even messaged BBC Radio Sheffield to say football is all about being entertained… win, lose or draw.

Pompey by all accounts were the better team, with the better chances, but crucially it was United who found the moments of quality to win the game.

It prompted Chris Wilder to say ahead of facing former employers Boro that he would "rather have a team that's mentally strong and wants to win than a team that's milky and soft".

Well, there was nothing milky or soft about the way the Blades dismantled Middlesbrough.

Wilder left a couple of new signings on the bench as impact players and reverted to the 4-2-3-1 that's served the team well for the majority of the season, with Callum O'Hare, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Sydie Peck returning to the starting XI to help deliver one of the performances of the season.

Rome wasn't built in a day – and this season remains a rebuild for the Blades – but Wilder is re-establishing a red and white legion capable of invading the Premier League for a third time in six years.

Effective, exciting… and entertaining.