Blades Boss Wilder Plots Shake-Up As Relegation Fears Mount

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder said his squad needs a major shake-up after their Premier League survival hopes were dealt another blow following Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat by Southampton.

Southampton skipper James Ward-Prowse’s first-half penalty and a thunderbolt from Che Adams condemned the Blades to their 22nd defeat this season and left them bottom of the table on 14 points, 12 adrift of safety with 10 games to play.

“We’ve got to do so much better, there’s so many things we need to address,” Wilder told Sky Sports. “It needs a bit of a shake-up in terms of a few bodies going out, a few bodies coming in.

“There’s a couple that need to go at the end of the season, I’d like to shake it up quicker but the rules and regulations for that now don’t allow me to. The hand I’m given at the moment is a pretty tough one with some of the players we have to go with.

“We have to, as I’ve talked about, regroup and go again, but it’s a tough gig.”

Sheffield United were without defenders John Egan, Jack O’Connell and Chris Basham, and midfielder Sander Berge through injury for Saturday’s game but Wilder hopes their return will revive his team’s fortunes.

“We need to keep our best players, when I’ve got Berge back, Basham back, Egan back and O’Connell back, that plays a huge part,” he said.

The Blades visit second-placed Leicester City next Sunday.

Reuters