Sheffield United

Josh Lobley
BBC Sport Researcher

Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before Sheffield United's trip to Everton on Saturday.

Here are the main lines from his news conference:

• On expiring contracts in the summer: "There's going to be casualties in there. With what's happened this season we know there's going to be some disappointed players who won't get offered contracts. We have to take it seriously and get it as perfect as we can."

• On youngster Ollie Arblaster: "He's been himself on and off the pitch. It hasn't affected him at all. His performances have been first class at the highest level. For a player of a young age he's shown outstanding maturity in and out of possession. I'm delighted that he's with the football club for another four years."

• When asked how to beat opponents Everton: "First of all we have to finish our chances. We have to execute better positions and opportunities to get that advantage and go up in games."

• On Toffees manager Sean Dyche: "I've got a long relationship with him and an awful amount of respect for Sean. At the start of the season, their performances were miles better than their results. He's had a lot to put up with this year and has handled it how everyone would expect him to."

• On the club's recruitment strategy in the summer: "We've always looked abroad. We have been a British based team which has done us no harm over the last seven or eight years. It's been difficult for the new guys to get out there [onto the continent] but we will build up that database of players. It's something we haven't really invested in enough."

• Wilder added on recruitment: "We're not going to have an open chequebook, we're going to have to be really smart about this. We're going to have to use the loan market again."

• On interest in Gustavo Hamer: "There's certain players that maybe won't want to be part of the journey and we understand that. There's certain players that we want to keep in the building and Gus is one of them. We are in a vulnerable position because of the finances involved in the Premier League. I can't categorically say that they'll be here for the next five years because I don't think that happens."

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

• Everton have lost five of their past seven home league games against Sheffield United (including the most recent two). The exceptions are a 4-2 win in August 1993 and a 2-0 victory in October 2006.

• Sheffield United have won more Premier League away games against Everton than they have any other opponent (three) and their four wins overall against them in the competition is their joint-most versus one side (also four against Chelsea).

• Everton have lost their final home league game in just one of the last eight campaigns. They have also won their final home game of the season for three years in a row since a 3-1 defeat to Bournemouth in 2019-20.

• The Blades have lost their final away game in each of their past four Premier League campaigns. The last time they won their final Premier League away game actually came at Everton in the 1992-93 season.

• Everton keeper Jordan Pickford has kept 12 clean sheets in the Premier League this season - his second-most in a single campaign after 2018-19 (14).

• Despite only joining the club in January, no Sheffield United player has scored more Premier League goals this season than Ben Brereton-Diaz (six). His rate of a goal every 158 minutes is the second best by any Blades player who has managed a minimum of 500 minutes in a single season after Nathan Blake in 1993-94 (one goal every 145 minutes).

Ben Meakin
Fan writer

A rare sighting of Daniel Jebbison in this week's Under-21 line-up is the latest sign that a contractual stalemate is coming to an end for one of United's most promising young talents.

It would be a welcome bit of positive news for the club to tie down a player that should be an asset in both footballing and financial terms, and someone whom a lot of fans had resigned to losing for free.

It is almost three years to the day since Jebbison became the youngest player in Premier League history to score on his first start, but the seasons that followed have been mixed. He was impressive during a League One loan at Burton before United recalled him because of a striker shortage - but then he barely left the bench and his career stalled.

Injuries and illness have essentially written off the past 12 months of his development, but hopefully this impending contract extension is the turning of a corner for him and the club.

United look like being short up front next season, with Oli McBurnie out of contract and Cameron Archer and Ben Brereton Diaz unlikely to return. Having a fit Jebbison - ideally motivated to make up for lost time - could go some way to alleviating those losses.

One of Jebbison's most recent appearances for us was during a promotion-celebrating thumping of Preston at the end of last season. He came off the bench, set up two goals and looked like a massive handful for Championship defenders. Here's hoping that was just a glimpse of what 2024-25 could hold for him and United.

Ben Meakin can be found at BladesPod, external

We asked for your views on Saturday's match between Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your answers:

Sheffield United fans

Sam: A rubbish season summed up. No fight from the players, or fans for that matter. Sad really, so much hope at the end of last year that was decimated in preseason and played out as expected throughout the season. Faith in football gone.

David: The Blades have never got going this season. We were always going to struggle as we are just not good enough and we lost some really good players from last season. It is OK blooding youngsters but not at the expense of Premier League survival. We need a few seasons in the Championship to build a side that CAN compete in the top flight. No magic from Chris Wilder.

Eric: Same old white flag. If we don’t have a clear out from top to bottom, I can see us going straight through to League One.

Graham: Chris Wilder promised the squad would be much stronger after January window - we weren't. He said players signed would be first-team players to make a difference - [Ivo] Grbic & Holgate [Mason] both not in the team now. There is a lack of leadership and he chose Holgate as captain instead of signing [Joe] Worrall. In League One, he made some good signings but many have been iffy since. Now there are [Gustavo] Hamer rumours - very I am worried about rebuild prospects.

Nottingham Forest fans

Martin: We weren’t perfect, but we were the better side and made it count. We improved in the second half and largely managed the match well. Odds of relegation so much lower now but not quite over the line. Great stuff.

Doug: A very important result for us, but it’s not a time to be complacent. We must be fully focused on the next two games to make sure we get the points we need to stay up.

Paul: Still make me feel nervous when defending though with [Willy] Boly back and alongside Murillo we seemed more secure. I wish they wouldn't back off until near their own penalty area before challenging an attacker. [But] thought the referee had a good game as hardly noticed him.

Trickytwigg: A game we should be expecting to win if we're serious about staying in the Premier League. That said, a solid performance. MGW had one of his more frustrating days but great to see Yatesy get his goal. We need to go again though!

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Friday and Saturday's six Premier League fixtures.

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

And you can watch highlights of Sunday's games on Match of the Day 2 here.

Listen back to Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries in full:

• Burnley v Newcastle United

• Manchester City v Wolves

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Press play and repeat. Goals change attitudes of games completely. To have nine opportunities, and not half-opportunities, good opportunities, we could have been two or three up.

"Everyone knows Hudson-Odoi has quality. Scratching my head how it was 1-1 at half-time. We should have been out of sight, without a doubt. We were by far the better team. They have got a lot to play for, we know that. But in terms of how we moved the ball and attacked it was really good. But we have got to put teams to bed. If we don't do that, then we open the door. We opened ourselves to the counter-attack and they punished us."

On Ben Brereton-Diaz's penalty shout: "We are down so it is not a difficult decision for VAR to give that [against us]. The cynical part of me would say it's a comfortable decision to give. I think it is a push in the back. Then it goes 2-1 and then 3-1 pretty quickly. You are going to have parts that are disappointing and you have to deal with adversity. I thought we did ok with that in terms of more shots in the second half. We have been punished pretty severely.

"When it went 3-1 we looked out on our feet. What it has told us is that this is a really physical league. In the last 15-20 minutes there were players who looked out on their feet."

On bringing youngsters into the team: "We know they have got to be good enough. We have got some young players out there now. We don't want to just give them favours. They have got to be good enough to be involved in first-team training and then with the selection process.

"It is a disappointing result because we should have put them to bed. We didn't do enough to put them to bed and when they got that opportunity, they did that."

Sam Drury
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Reuters

For 45 minutes, this was one of Sheffield United's best performances of the season.

Chris Wilder's already-relegated side overran Nottingham Forest for much of the first half and with some better decision making or more clinical finishing they could have been out of sight.

Instead, with a defence that went into the game having conceded at least two goals in their last nine games, every missed chance made it feel more and more inevitable that they would be punished.

So it proved. That run of two or more goals conceded went from nine to 10 games and when Forest scored their third, the Blades had a share of an unwanted Premier League record.

They have now conceded 100 league goals this season, equalling Swindon Town in 1993-94 - and the Robins' record came in a 42-game league campaign.

Chances spurned at one end, goals leaked at the other. For all that the first-half promised, this became just another frustrating game for the Blades - and one that sums up why they find themselves at the foot of the table.

• Nottingham Forest picked up their first away Premier League victory since a 3-1 win at Newcastle on Boxing Day, ending their seven-game winless run on the road. Indeed, this was just their fourth away league victory since the start of last season (P37 W4 D9 L24).

• Sheffield United have conceded 100 Premier League goals in 2023-24, the joint-most by a side in a single season in the competition’s history (Swindon also 100 in 42 games in 1993-94), while the last side to concede more in a 38-game top-flight campaign was Leicester City in 1908-09 (102).

• Sheffield United have failed to win any of their last five Premier League games in which they’ve gone 1-0 up, losing each of their last three in a row (D2),

• This was just the third time Nottingham Forest have ever won a Premier League away game having conceded first, also coming from behind to beat Leeds in April 1996 and Newcastle on Boxing Day this season.

• Sheffield United have been shown five red cards in the Premier League this season, their most in a single league campaign since 2010-11 (12 in the Championship).

• Despite not making his debut until late January, no player has scored more Premier League goals for Sheffield United this season than Ben Brereton Díaz (6). However, the Blades have failed to win any of the five games in which he’s found the back of the net (D2 L3).

• Nottingham Forest midfielder Ryan Yates scored his first ever Premier League goal in this game becoming the ninth different player to score in each of England’s top four tiers since the start of the 2017-18 season.

Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice as Nottingham Forest took a big step towards Premier League survival by beating already-relegated Sheffield United.

Ben Brereton Diaz's penalty put the home side ahead at Bramall Lane before Hudson-Odoi's superb curling effort brought Forest level midway through the first half.

The Blades responded well but missed a host of first-half chances and were punished when Ryan Yates put the visitors ahead with a thumping effort six minutes after the break.

Hudson-Odoi then made sure of a vital three points for Nuno Espirito Santo's side when he cut inside and bent the ball past Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham into the far corner.

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

Sheffield United fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Forest fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for every Premier League game this season against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's matches, he takes on Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

This has to be seen as an open goal for Nottingham Forest.

They did well against Manchester City last week despite being beaten, but now they need to follow that up with a repeat performance that gets them the result they need.

Forest's focus has to be on how they play, rather than who is the referee or video assistant referee. If they can do that, they should beat a fragile-looking Sheffield United, who are already down.

The Blades played well in the first half against Newcastle last week but capitulated in the end.

With 97 Premier League goals conceded already this season, it looks very likely they will end up passing the century mark there - but will it happen on Saturday?

Nathan's prediction: 0-2

Read all of the predictions here

There are five Premier League matches taking place today and we will keep you updated on all of them.

Full commentary:

• Burnley v Newcastle, 15:00 - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Man City v Wolves, 17:30 - BBC Radio 5 Live

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Tyrese King
BBC Sport journalist

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest.

Here are some headlines from his news conference:

• Midfielder James McAtee is back from injury and in contention to feature against Forest.

• Wilder shared that the club will be extending Ben Osborn's contract and have offered Daniel Jebbison a new deal.

• On the lessons learned this campaign, which will end in relegation: "I think that you are learning all the time about your players, good and bad. Obviously it's been a disappointing and painful experience for everybody, you can't get away from that, but we're learning."

• Wilder continued: "We have a massive obligation to our supporters to go out on a high and give them something in the summer to hold on to, because they have had nothing to hold on to this season really. We have two fabulous upcoming games, I think we all understand the connection and rivalry that we have with Forest and also an away day at Everton."

• On Forest's attacking threat: "We know Morgan [Gibbs-White, former Blades loanee] very well, he had an outstanding period here." Anthony Elanga, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Chris Wood were also marked out as players to watch.

• On a potential Premier League spending cap being introduced: "I've been a part of both really, in terms of when I first started as a manager I had a really good budget and I think a lot of managers would like that opportunity of going and signing the best players, but I have seen clubs that overspend and go reckless and pay the price. So is there a sweet spot in between? Hopefully there is."

Follow Friday's Premier League news conferences

Here are the key facts and figures before Saturday's game between Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

• This is Sheffield United's first home Premier League match against Nottingham Forest since October 1992 - a goalless draw at Bramall Lane. They are unbeaten in their past four top-flight home games against Forest since a 3-1 defeat in August 1967.

• Nottingham Forest are looking to complete their first league double over Sheffield United since the 2003-04 campaign when the sides were in the second tier.

• Sheffield United are just three goals away from becoming the second side in Premier League history to concede 100 goals in a single campaign after Swindon Town in 1993-94 (100 in 42 games). The Blades would be just the third team to do so in a top-flight season with a maximum of 20 teams, after Darwen in 1891-92 (112 in 26 games) and Leicester in 1908-09 (102 in 38 games).

• Nottingham Forest have won just one of their past 19 Premier League games against promoted sides and that was in the reverse fixture against Sheffield United this season. This will be the second time they have faced an opponent in their first match after being relegated from the Premier League (within the same season) when they beat QPR 3-0 in 1995-96.

• Sheffield United have conceded 51 goals in their 17 Premier League home games this season. In English top-flight history, only Aston Villa in 1935-36 have ever conceded more at home in a single campaign (56).

• Nine of Chris Wood's 12 Premier League goals this season have either put Nottingham Forest in the lead (four) or drawn them level (five).

Ben Meakin
Fan writer

This is my third experience of relegation from the top flight, and the first one to arrive with an overwhelming feeling of relief.

2007 was all righteous fury at being on the wrong end of the Carlos Tevez affair. 2021 – albeit somewhat dulled by a full season of empty stadiums – brought angst at an opportunity squandered; a wave crested.

2024? I’m just glad it’s (almost) over.

As someone who expected relegation before a ball was kicked, there hasn’t been even a faint moment of hope along the way as our soon-to-be-historic defence coughs up goal after goal. Even taking the lead at Old Trafford and St James’ Park in the last week elicited little more than a shrug before the inevitable deluge at the other end.

I don’t have high expectations for next season back in the Championship – there’s far too much uncertainty about our squad to call it either way – but I’m incredibly excited about going into games and feeling like we have a chance again.

I imagine I will have a surreal time trying to process a 0-0 home draw – wait, other teams don’t always have to score four or more?

Relief, then, at the confirmation of relegation. What that says about the club’s preparation for this season, or the disparity between haves and have-nots even among teams in the same league, I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions.

Ben Meakin can be found at the BladesPod, external

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio Sheffield's Rob Staton says the way the Blades have competed in the Premier league this season "has not been good enough" and the club must build a "new team" in order to return to the top flight.

Relegation was confirmed at the weekend with three games left to play and Chris Wilder's side are just three goals conceded away from matching the Premier League record of 100.

"The only thing I think of is that they have a young player called Oliver Arblaster. He was given the armband at 20 years old, which is unheard of, and he is fantastic," Staton told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"The only real positive that can come out of this is they have a young midfielder who grew up a Sheffield United fan and who can give the supporters hope going into next year.

"Apart from that, the way they've competed has not been good enough. They have not been good enough at Bramall Lane.

"People thought, if nothing else, teams would have to work hard at Bramall Lane. Last time they were in the Premier League, some of these bigger teams found it really difficult to go there with the atmosphere. Covid took that away from Sheffield United - that was the reason they had a disappointing relegation last time.

"This year, they haven't been competitive at the Lane, let alone away from home.

"When they've played teams like Burnley they've conceded nine goals. They haven't even competed against teams around them.

"It is time for a new team to be built and that will be a huge challenge as they will not have millions to spend this summer."

Watch the full episode of Monday Night Club on BBC iPlayer or listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Premier League clubs have voted in favour of adopting an anchoring economic model, which will be linked to the earnings of the bottom club (tv and prize money).

The proposed system would operate like a spending cap.

The next stage is final analysis and drafting of rules, which will potentially be put to clubs at an AGM in June.

The model will be presented to clubs and - should clubs vote in favour then - it will replace the Profit and Sustainability Rules currently in place, from the 2025-26 season onwards.

Any new element of the financial system would come in shadow next season, to fully replace PSR in 2025-26.

“We will obviously wait to see further details of these specific proposals, but we have always been clear that we would oppose any measure that would place a ‘hard’ cap on player wages," said the PFA

“There is an established process in place to ensure that proposals like this, which would directly impact our members, have to be properly consulted on.”

Aston Villa, Manchester City and Manchester United opposed the vote, with Chelsea abstaining.

Former Sheffield United striker Carl Asaba believes that while the Blades' players will be disappointed after their relegation to the Championship was confirmed, they will learn from it and come back swinging next season.

Reacting to the 5-1 loss at Newcastle on the latest episode of the Blades Heaven podcast, he said: "You saw in the first half, if you attack as well as that and only score one goal, it's going to be very difficult.

"And then at the other end, we are very weak defensively. It's a real shame because there is so much promise, so much goodness that you are watching and yet again, how many times have we conceded four or five.

"The fans have given their all. It is very tough for the team on the pitch at the moment but they will be back stronger.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we actually have a stronger team than the team that started this season."

Asaba admits that it was always going to be hard for the Blades to stay up, but says there is still plenty of quality in their squad.

"When Chris [Wilder] took over, it was always a very difficult proposition to stay up," he said.

"I just hope we keep those younger players on long contracts. Arblaster once again looked as good as anyone on the pitch today."

"They completely cave in. When they go, they go.

"I get criticised for talking about how good some of these players are. It's really hard to explain what happens.

"They carved out chance after chance at Newcastle away. It's just hard to explain. I am really gutted for everyone."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield United's Premier League fate was sealed following another heavy defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday.

It might even come as a relief for Blades fans, who have watched their side leak goals week in, week out in a disappointing return to the top flight.

97 to be precise, at an average of 2.8 goals per game.

They have already broken the goals conceded record for a 38-game season and are just three goals off Swindon Town's record of the most goals (100) conceded in a Premier League season.

Despite Chris Wilder succeeding Paul Heckingbottom - who lost 11 of their opening 14 games - in December, he could not solve their shaky defence.

The former right-back slightly improved their attacking average from 0.8 goals a game under Heckingbottom to 1.1, but it was not enough to counteract the goals against.

Sheffield United have been relegated with 16 points from 35 games, making them the third-worst side in Premier League history in terms of points and goal difference.

Wilder says the top flight has been "too powerful" for them this season but that supporters can "trust him" to stay at the club beyond the summer.

But if they are to bounce back in a demanding Championship next season, they will have to tighten up their back line and recruit well this summer.

We asked for your views on Saturday's match between Newcastle United and Sheffield United.

Here are some of your answers:

Newcastle fans

Tom: Strange game. Sheffield United absolutely flying out of the blocks and going for it. Big Dan Burn kept us in the game in the first half. He looks much more comfortable at centre-back than when he is stuck on the left. There was a complete transition in the second half, with Newcastle bombing forward at every opportunity and looking like scoring. Was there an interesting half-time talk?

Simon: Very pleased to see us bounce back from a poor midweek performance. We dominated in the second half and it is positive that we are converting chances. I was really pleased, particularly, to see Bruno and Wilson on the scoresheet. We need to push forward and get as many points as possible in our final few games, but well done!

Tant: With all of the injuries sustained this season, this team has shown real resilience under a world-class man manager in Eddie Howe. To be where they are now shows that, to a man, they are fighting for the boss. It was a difficult game today, but they showed great patience and belief in their own game plan to get the three points.

Andrew: We started a bit like me when I had eaten too many lockdown chocolates... slowly and poorly! But we finished like me when I eat a bag of sugar followed by three bottles of energy drink... buzzing and excited! I think we will keep both Guimaraes and Isak this summer. Next year will be great, if this year was anything to go by!

Sheff Utd fans

Bob: Sheffield United were the best team in the first half and could have had three goals. However, Newcastle woke up in the second half and ran out easy winners as the Blades were blunted.

Eric: I am sick and tired of seeing that white flag this season! Just close season, have a big clear out of both the players and management. Fresh ideas and a new approach is needed.

Peter: Chris Wilder is clueless and he needs sacking. This club needs a complete rebuild. Wilder is not the man for the job.

James: A fitting end to an embarrassing season. Unless there is a big change in the club, starting at the top with the owner who has proved himself incapable of running a football club, then there will be a relegation scrap on our hands again next season!

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield United are on course to break Swindon Town's record of the most goals conceded in a Premier League season, with the Blades shipping five goals or more in more than seven games this campaign.

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has been discussing their defensive struggles on Match of the Day: "With Swindon Town, it took them 42 games to concede 100 goals. If you look at Sheffield United right now, they have conceded 97 goals in 35 games.

"Look, they have had to get rid of some top players in Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge. It has been very hard for them to compete in the Premier League this season.

"Chris Wilder is talking about a lack of leadership, but I would probably say that it is a lack of quality as well.

"I think that the fans will probably be relieved [that they have been relegated] - at least they won't have to deal with VAR next season!"

Catch up on Match of the Day here