Sheffield United

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Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder speaking to BBC Match Of The Day: "We didn't just stay in the game in the second half, we were more than a match for the opposition.

"I thought the players showed tremendous character. The team gave everything today, but we need to find that better moment, which they found for that goal and which we could not find for the second half.

"We are up against a team which turned Spurs over last week, an established Premier League club which doesn't need to build through the season. I want to make sure we can compete, but also have a threat at the other end."

On the clash between Souza and Robinson: "I'm not going to be too critical as long as it doesn't overstep the line."

Speaking to Sky Sports about the clash between Jack Robinson and Vini Souza in the first half: "You can imagine my response to that. It is a passionate game, we don't want to see that every week but if it takes something like that to get them going, I'm happy."

• Pablo Sarabia's opener was Wolves' 40th goal in the Premier League this season - with today being their 26th league this is the quickest they've hit 40 goals in a top-flight campaign since 1971-72 (23rd game).

• Sheffield United have now conceded 66 goals after 26 matches played in the Premier League this season, the most any Premier League team has ever conceded at this stage and the most at this stage of a top-flight season since Ipswich Town in 1963/64 (74 after 26 matches). The Blades have also conceded 27 goals in the first half of Premier League matches this season, the most of any team in the competition.

• Wolves have now won as many Premier League matches (11) this season after 26 games played as they managed in the entirety of their last campaign. They’ve only reached 11 wins quicker in the Premier League in two previous seasons (2018-19 after 25 matches & 2021-22 after 23 matches). Their 40 goals scored is also nine more than they managed last term (31).

• Wolves are now up to eighth in the Premier League table following today's victory, their highest placing in the competition since May 21st 2022 (also eighth, after 37 games).

• Vinicius Souza won four of his five tackle attempts today for Sheffield United. It is the seventh different Premier League match in which he has won 4 or more tackles this season, the most of any player in the competition.

• Rayan Ait-Nouri provided his first Premier League assist of the season for Wolves’ opening goal, with what was his first big chance created of the campaign and the 17th different chance he has created this term. Ait-Nouri had gone 55 league matches without providing an assist for Wolves before today.

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport journalist

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This was a battling Sheffield United performance in every sense though once again it was another afternoon when their increasingly-slim survival hopes suffered another blow.

Chris Wilder's side sit bottom of the Premier League, eight points from safety and unless they can solve problems at both ends of the pitch quickly they will be playing Championship football next term.

On chances created against Wolves it really ought to have yielded at least a point, if not more.

James McAtee and Rhian Brewster both failed to convert excellent opportunities to score and at times it was easy to see why they are the lowest scorers in the English top flight.

Their frustrations almost spilled over during the first half when teammates Vinicius Souza and Jack Robinson squared up to each other.

However, they were spared the further embarrassment of disciplinary action against either following a VAR check.

The result lifts Gary O'Neil's side up to eighth in the table and boosts their hopes of appearing in Europe next season.

It was far from a vintage display from Wolves, with Sarabia's header their only effort on target until a stoppage-time shot from Joao Gomes, in a contest that saw their determined opponents sit deep and attempt to counter with pace on the break.

And the manner of the Blades' performance, although not the outcome, will have pleased boss Chris Wilder, who saw his side carve out several good opportunities.

James McAtee had two of Sheffield United's best chances. However, the on-loan Manchester City midfielder saw a tame first-half effort easily saved by Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa and he fizzed a second-half shot just wide of the bottom right corner.

McAtee's left-wing cross also provided Rhian Brewster with an opportunity to level, but the forward, who had already blazed well wide earlier on from a good position, was unable to turn his effort past Portugal goalkeeper Sa.

However, Wilder would not have been pleased at the sight of two of his players - Vinicius Souza and Jack Robinson - squaring up and jostling each other during the first half.

It was a moment of embarrassment for the visitors, who remain eight points adrift of safety and appear to be seeing their slim survival prospects fade with each defeat.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from home?

Wolves fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

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Follow all of the reaction here

Wolves are hosting Sheffield United in the Premier League and kick-off is less than an hour away.

For team news and all the build-up, head to our live coverage here.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League visit to Wolves.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Wilder said there has "been progression with two or three of the players" but he will "leave it to the last minute" to see if they are fit for Sunday. He added that Tom Davies is fit to start and if John Egan was to return from injury before the end of the season he would have done "remarkably well".

• He is pleased youngster Ollie Arblaster has signed a long-term contract with the club: "I personally think a lot about him. I've known and watched his progression through the academy and even at international level so for him to be playing on that stage shows he's got a lot of quality. Local boy which goes down well with the football club and supporters. We're delighted."

• On responding to the 5-0 defeat to Brighton: "I'm not shying away from anything and I'll take full responsibility for what's happened. The situation we are trying to rectify is the quick goals going in and the trend that is happening."

• On Sunday's opponents: "An established Premier League club, some major players there, settled group. Big club who have had some fantastic results this season. Every opposition pose a huge challenge for us at this stage of the season and the way we are at this stage in terms of our standing."

• Wilder said Mason Holgate has to work to regain his trust after his red card last weekend: "He understood it straight away, he's not jumping through hoops. We understand the reckless attitude of the challenge and the out of control bit. He spoke to the group, me and the staff and have to deal with it."

Follow the rest of Friday's Premier League news conferences

Here are the key facts and figures before Sunday's game between Wolves and Sheffield United in the Premier League.

• Wolves are unbeaten in their last eight home league games against Sheffield United (W4 D4), since a 3-1 loss in the Championship in October 2002.

• Following their 2-1 win at Bramall Lane in November, Sheffield United are looking to complete their first league double over Wolves since 1989-90, when they were promoted from the Championship.

• Wolves have won five of their last eight Premier League games (D1 L2), although their two losses in this run have come in their last two matches at Molineux (v Manchester United & Brentford). Wolves last lost three consecutive home top-flight matches in October/December 2022 (4).

• Sheffield United have lost five Premier League games by a margin of five ore more goals this season, the joint most such defeats of any side in a single Premier League campaign (also Derby County in 2007-08). Only Darwen (7 in 1891-92) and Ipswich Town (6 in 1963-64) have lost more top-flight matches in a single season by five or more goals.

• Despite making just 16 appearances this season, Pedro Neto has provided nine assists with no Wolves player registering more in a single Premier League campaign (Adama Traore also 9 in 37 apps in 2019-20). Seven of his nine assists this term have either been for an equalising goal (3) or a goal to put Wolves into the lead (4).

• Sheffield United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham has kept just a single clean sheet in the Premier League this season, conceding the most goals (63) of any keeper in their first 25 appearances in the competition.

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Sheffield United's 20-year-old midfielder Oliver Arblaster has signed a new long-term contract with the club.

Speaking to the club's official website, external manager Chris Wilder said: "I had two or three Championship clubs come in for him to take him on loan, but we want him around us, we want him to be involved in the changing room.

"He's an outstanding young player, we did have a little bit of a setback with his injury at Port Vale, but he's worked hard to get himself back.

"There's no downside to having players of, not only with that attitude but that ability, coming through and we are delighted that we have. With our academy, we need to make sure the pathway is there, and we are strong in that area. We must keep producing young players and give them the opportunity to play."

Arblaster, born and bred in Sheffield, said: "I am buzzing to finally sign a long-term deal with my boyhood club. I can't wait to kick on.

"I have seen he (the manager) has put his trust in the likes of Will (Osula) and Brooksy (Andre Brooks). They have signed long-term deals, and I am hoping I can repay his faith in me and go out and also perform on the pitch for him.

"I have been here 12 years; it feels like an age! I have signed a new long-term deal now and I feel like all the hard work I've put in to get to this point is really rewarding, but now I need to kick on and try and establish myself in the first team."

Ben Meakin
Fan writer

It's been an incredibly bemusing season to be a Sheffield United fan – although some supporters may choose a somewhat harsher word.

Witnessing the team concede five at Bramall Lane for the third home game running should probably be enough to have a fanbase up in arms but, instead, the now familiar sight of the ground emptying out with 20 minutes still to play just emphasises the feeling of apathy around the club.

Part of it comes down to having played all our cards - we've changed manager, tried different formations, had the January transfer window and even promoted some youth players into the team. There are no more moves to make – just 13 more games to try to get through and not be humiliated on quite so regular a basis.

On a bigger scale, what's the goal for next season? Ordinarily, a relegated side would hope to bounce straight back up – and, of course, I hope for a successful and enjoyable season. However, under the current owner and off-field infrastructure, we'd only find ourselves back in the same hopelessly outmatched situation.

This has to have been the first season in my time supporting United where I've found myself having an existential crisis during the games. The only thing I'm clinging to is that at least back in the Championship we're unlikely to see quite so many matches be over as a contest after 20 minutes.

Ben Meakin can be found at BladesPod, external

We asked you for your thoughts on Sunday's Premier League match between Sheffield United and Brighton & Hove Albion. Here are some of your comments...

Blades fans

Stuart: The sending-off killed us, but it’s awful seeing the negative set up every week. Playing 5-4-1 makes no sense - the wide midfielders and wing-backs occupy the same space. No possession, no creativity, no desire, poor defending - battered. Rinse and repeat.

Richard: Holgate should be ashamed of himself. Absolute disgrace how he let the team down.

Nihal: Dreadful in every respect. Who takes off their only striker for another centre-back when you’re already 2-0 down?

Brighton fans

Paul: Brighton, win or lose, are exciting to watch and go from strength to strength. Coming back from a recent 4-0 drubbing, our reaction against Sheffield United was clinically efficient. Superb - and I strongly believe we can still make sixth place... at least.

Nicolas: That’s the Brighton from last season - ruthless on the attack. I think it mostly comes down to the attacking threat that Mitoma and Adingra bring, but everyone was superb.

Martin: A strong performance, especially as Brighton have not gained many points against teams near the bottom of the league. We became a little complacent after going two up but the second half was outstanding and Brighton could have scored more!

Image source, PA Media

Bottom club Sheffield United, who lost 5-0 at home to Brighton on Sunday, could be on course to set some unwanted Premier League records by the end of the campaign.

• The Blades have conceded at least five goals in five separate Premier League fixtures this season. This has only occurred twice before in Premier League history; Swindon Town (1993-94) and Derby County (2007-08) both let in five goals or more in six different league games in the same season, and both were relegated.

• United have conceded 65 goals in their first 25 games, the most by any club at this stage of a Premier League season. At their current rate, they will have let in 99 goals by the season's conclusion, one short of Swindon's record tally of 100 in 1993-94 - although this was in a 42-game campaign. Derby's 2007-08 team hold the record for the most goals conceded in a 38-game Premier League season (89).

• One record that has already been avoided is Derby's record low points total of 11 in 2007-08, but the Blades and Burnley - who also have 13 points from 25 games - are in danger of being added to the list of six teams that have registered less than 20 points in a Premier League season. As well as the Rams, Sunderland (twice), Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Huddersfield have all previously failed to reach that mark in a Premier League season.

Data compiled by Tom White, PA Sport data journalist

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Mason Holgate's suspension only adds to the woes Chris Wilder is having to deal with at the moment, as the Sheffield United boss revealed a late injury to Camerson Archer scuppered his plans going into the 5-0 defeat to Brighton.

Talking to Blades Heaven: A Sheffield United Podcast, Wilder said after Sunday's loss: "It's tough for everyone involved, it's tough to be a Sheffield United supporter at the moment."

The Blades boss says Archer as he was "in the team ready to go" but pulled up with a "really tight calf" late on in training.

"McBurnie can only do five to 10 minutes for us, he's one we're easing back in, hopefully this week we can get more work into him and get him closer to playing more of a part," Wilder said of his striker options, with no timescale put on Archer's return.

Wilder also says Max Lowe is "out for the season" having "done all his ankle ligaments", an injury which will require surgery.

Listen to Blades Heaven: A Sheffield United Podcast here

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Former Premier League striker Alan Shearer believes centre-back Mason Holgate's straight red card "cost them massively" as Brighton went on to hit five goals past the Blades at Bramall Lane.

"It was a terrible challenge. It was going to be a very difficult day anyway for Sheffield United - Mason Holgate made it into an impossible day for Sheffield United," ex-Newcastle United captain Shearer told Match of the Day 2.

"If you're a team-mate of his, you're going in there at half-time and you're going mad at him because he's cost them massively. He's made the players have to work perhaps a lot harder than they should have at times. But it's an awful challenge, a terrible challenge. There's no doubt about it that it deserved a red card."

Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman added: "We can't understand how he [Kaoru Mitoma] managed to play on in the game. I'm not sure that I've seen a worse tackle, certainly this season, and I'm trying to search my mind for a worse tackle than that.

"I don't know if he's seen red. I don't think anything aggressive happened in the game. I don't know why he felt the need to make that tackle - it wasn't in a dangerous position on the field. He's certainly put his opponent's career in danger with that tackle."

Catch up on Match of the Day 2 on BBC iPlayer here

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Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha and ex-West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker said Mason Holgate's tackle on Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma was "outrageous" and "so dangerous".

The Sheffield United defender caught Mitoma just below the knee in the 12th minute and was dismissed when his yellow card was upgraded following a video assistant referee review.

"I don't know Mason Holgate and I don't know his intent or what he was thinking because that challenge for me was a disgrace," said Onuoha on the Football Daily podcast.

"When your foot is landing above someone's knee, what are you doing? That is so dangerous.

"I've heard he apologised to Mitoma after the game, but you don't get yourself sent off for something that you don't need to do.

"To lunge into someone after 12 minutes played is outrageous and I'd be fuming if I was his team-mates because then the other 10 players have to suffer."

Reo-Coker added: "I think he's lucky it's only a three-game ban because you look at the challenge and what was his intent? Was he even thinking?"

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

Mark Chapman introduces highlights and analysis from Sunday's two Premier League matches.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries in full on BBC Sounds:

Sheffield United v Brighton

Luton v Man Utd

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport journalist

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Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder said Mason Holgate "has to take responsibility" after the Blades defender's sending off pre-empted his side's thrashing by Brighton.

Sunday's match at Bramall Lane swung in the 12th minute when Holgate caught Kaoru Mitoma in midfield with a horrific challenge just below the knee.

The Everton loanee was shown a yellow card, but it was upgraded to a red after intervention from the video assistant referee (VAR).

Against 10 men, Brighton were able to attack at will.

"It was a mistimed tackle and the correct decision was made," Wilder said of Holgate's challenge on BBC Match of the Day.

"Mason has to take the responsibility that his decision has hurt us and the gameplan goes out of the window after that."

After winning 3-1 away at Luton last week the visitors needed just a point to move off the foot of the Premier League table.

Instead, they conceded five goals at home for the third consecutive match and remain rooted to the bottom.

They travel to Wolves for their next league match on 25 February.