Sheffield United: '˜All the lads talk about is not letting anyone destroy our run' - Chris Basham

The Blades have not lost in 10 games to surge from rock bottom into the play-off places.

Twenty-four points have been claimed during that run by Chris Wilder’s men along with 22 goals.

It means United approach Saturday’s home game against Milton Keynes Dons brimming with confidence. “Ten unbeaten is what we didn’t manage to do last season,” said Basham, who netted the equaliser in the enthralling 3-3 derby draw at Bradford City.

“It is infectious when you get on a run like this, it is great for morale. All the lads talk about is not letting anyone destroy our run.

“We said that before Bradford and we will say it again this week. I enjoy playing in a run like this. There is pressure on the boys to do well, but that is what we want.”

United’s surge has taken the club to within touching distance of the automatic promotion places.

Under Nigel Adkins last term, the Blades spent just one week occupying a place in the top two and that was in late August. Before that, the 2011-12 campaign was the last time they had a sustained spell in the top two.

The manner of United’s performances during recent weeks suggests that may well change with Wilder’s men looking capable of making a concerted push for the Championship.

Saturday’s draw at Valley Parade underlined that much, the Blades producing some excellent football to take the lead twice before digging deep to find an equaliser in the second half.

Basham said: “It was great to get that third goal, as this time last year we might not have drawn a game like Bradford.

“I felt the game was a cracker. We were ahead twice but we needed three goals to get something out of it. That was the only disappointing thing.

“The gaffer wasn’t happy afterwards about us all being so gung-ho. He wanted us to make sure we saw it through. He would have taken a point with five minutes to go.

“But we just saw it as a chance to go there and do well, to show what Sheffield United is all about.

“I think we did that and it was a great game for the neutral. It was nice that both teams got a standing ovation. We went at each other and put our bodies on the line.”

Basham recently served a three-game ban and United claimed seven points from that trio of fixtures so he was surprised to return to the starting XI at Shrewsbury last week.

“There are a lot of great players sitting on the bench, waiting for a chance. Everyone has to put in an eight or nine out of 10’ performance or you could drop out. It is very intense,” he said.

“I didn’t expect to play at Shrewsbury and the gaffer told me that I wasn’t. But then Jack (O’Connell) fell ill and I came in. I knew I had to perform and I loved it.”