Sheff Utd going to Bristol City to win - Wilder

Chris Wilder is looking to guide Sheffield United to promotion for the third time

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has said he will not change the way he sets his side up for the first leg of their play-off semi-final at Bristol City on Thursday.

The Blades finished third in the Championship in the regular season, three places and 22 points ahead of their opponents.

Three of the past four first legs of second tier play-off semi finals have ended goalless.

"We're going down there to try and get a win. There'll be no negative approach," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"We believe at our best that we can compete with any team in the division and our away record this season has been absolutely outstanding. We need to continue in that vein of form.

"We need to be consistent in our approach and that has been to go and win. We might have to suffer and be pushed back but I think they'll recognise that we have threats and can hurt any team."

Wilder's men won 13 Championship games away from home this season, second behind only promoted Burnley (14).

The Blades looked on course to secure automatic promotion before a run of four defeats in five games in April saw them have to settle for third behind Leeds and the Clarets.

They ended that run with a 2-0 win at Stoke in their final away game of the season before drawing with Blackburn on Saturday and Wilder believes his squad are in a good place.

"There's no negativity in this group. I've been consistent in how the players have been energised after the Burnley game and determined to win a play-off campaign," he added.

"The preparation going into the play-offs has been very good and getting back to winning ways in the manner and style that's got us into the position we're in with 90 points.

Promotion won't be 'straightforward'

The Blades are looking to end the worst play-off record in English football.

The Bramall Lane side have failed to win promotion through the end-of-season shootout in all nine of their previous attempts.

One omen that may be on their side is that Brentford and Preston North End both won promotion on their 10th attempt having also failed in their first nine.

Wilder, who led Oxford back into the Football League via the play-offs in 2010, is just focusing on the first task at hand.

"I've had a little taste of (play-off success) in 2010 and as everybody says, the way to go up is through the play-offs and at Wembley," he said.

"But we've got two unbelievably difficult games before that.

"I've got too much respect for the game, the opposition, their manager and their club to think that because we are points ahead in the league standings and come out of the Premier League that this is going to be straightforward. It isn't."

City will head to South Yorkshire for the second leg on Monday, 12 May.