Blades 'alive and kicking' after Cardiff win

Chris Wilder's Sheffield United have won the most games in the Championship this season with 27

Sheffield United are "alive and kicking" according to manager Chris Wilder after getting back to winning ways.

The 2-0 success over Cardiff City ended a run of three successive defeats, which saw the Blades fall from first to third in the Championship.

They are now outsiders in the battle for the two automatic promotion spots given they are five points behind Leeds United and Burnley with only three games left.

And they must avoid defeat away to the Clarets on Monday (17:30 BST) to keep their hopes alive.

But for Wilder, the taste of victory was much needed after those three losses in eight days.

"We had to take care of business from our point of view, a really emotionally draining week for everybody, the players and the supporters," he said.

"I have got to say, I thought the supporters were outstanding in trying to raise us and give us energy.

"In my experience as a player, a coach or manager, I have had little periods where you lose games and sometimes the hardest thing is getting that first one over the line. We have done that.

"We needed a performance. The performance was OK and the result is a big result obviously which keeps us alive and kicking."