Sheffield United welcome Preston North End to Bramall Lane on Saturday in what will be one of the final Saturday afternoon home kick-offs of the season.
The game marks the return of former Blades management duo Paul Heckingbottom and Stuart McCall, who will take their places in the away dugout as they look to get one over their old club.
They’ll have their work cut out though because Chris Wilder’s side have been outstanding at home throughout the campaign, winning 12 of their 17 matches at S2. Only Leeds United have secured more home victories in the Championship this season.
United showed their resilience last weekend with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road. It was a crucial result that demonstrated their ability to respond under pressure after a defeat to Leeds United. However, with the Championship promotion race at its most critical stage, there is little time to dwell on any game.
Chris Wilder Previews Sheffield United vs Preston North End
Speaking in his press conference, Wilder has emphasised the importance of staying level-headed as the Blades approach the final stretch of the campaign:
“To get out of the Championship is tough, you’ve got to do everything right. It’s not a given for Sheffield United just because we got relegated. It’s not a given for anybody.”
Preston North End, managed by Heckingbottom, with McCall as his assistant, have found wins hard to come by in recent weeks. They have won just once in their last six Championship outings but have managed two victories in their last four away fixtures.
Wilder is fully aware of the threats the Lilywhites pose:
“They’re a strong Championship football club. Maybe they’ve not hit the heights in terms of getting into the play-offs, but they are well-run with loads of experience. They always put together a strong squad and pick up some really good loan players. And obviously, they have a manager and an assistant manager that we know well.”
The win over QPR saw the return of promising right-back Femi Seriki, who looked sharp despite his extended absence. He may be in line for another appearance this weekend, particularly given the injury to Harry Clarke, who is set to miss the next couple of weeks with a foot problem, as is Alfie Gilchrist. Versatile midfielder Tom Davies is also ruled out.
Wilder spoke on managing players’ fitness levels during the run-in:
“Femi is playing catch-up with his minutes. We have to be careful with him, Tom Cannon, and Gus [Hamer] so that we don’t overload them. We’ll make sensible decisions and manage their minutes.”
Another major milestone was reached last weekend, with Anel Ahmedhodzic making his 100th appearance for Sheffield United. Wilder heaped praise on the Bosnian defender, highlighting his consistency and commitment to the club.
“We’ve been through a couple of difficult periods. There was a difficult period last January when there was a lot of speculation regarding his future but he got his head on and I thought he was outstanding since the first day of pre-season. He had to get on and get his head down and focus on getting into the side.
“His performance against Preston [first game of the season] was outstanding, and he’s been consistently very good all season. His attitude is good, he’s a popular boy among the players. He gives everything. We’re always pushing him to be better. There’s been a lot of interest in him – I’m okay with that. There’s a lot of interest in him because he’s been putting in a lot of top performances. And hopefully he’s one that we can really lean on in the last quarter of the season.”
Wilder also confirmed that discussions are ongoing to extend Ahmedhodzic’s contract, with his current deal due to expire in the summer of 2026, as the club looks to secure his long-term future amid interest from elsewhere.
