Sheffield United duo and 'outstanding' supporters hailed by Chris Wilder following win over Cardiff City

Three consecutive defeats had piled pressure on the Blades, who lost ground in the Championship promotion race.

However, goals from Gustavo Hamer and Ben Brereton Diaz downed the relegation-threatened Bluebirds and lifted the mood at Bramall Lane.

As reported by The Star, Wilder said: “I said to the players that, from the experience of being in this position as a coach and manager when you lose games, getting over the line in the first one is the hardest.

“I've got to say, the supporters were outstanding today. I've just been asked a question about a nervousness in the ground, but I thought they did their utmost to make that shirt light.

“Off the back of that, getting the first win was so important. We don't like to lose games of football and we've not done it a lot this season, so to get our 27th win of the season was important.”

The win kept the pressure on Leeds United and Burnley, who currently sit above the third-placed Blades.

Wilder stopped short of being effusive in his praise for his side’s display but singled out defensive duo Anel Ahmedhodzic and Rob Holding.

He said: “We desperately needed a performance. The performance was okay but at this stage of the season the result is the main thing and it’s a big one obviously, which keeps us alive and kicking.

“We got the performance right, we got the bit in the middle right and I was delighted with our patience, because we could have quite easily just forced it.

“And I thought the crowd stayed with that and recognised that it would take us moving the ball and forward runs and we found that first goal. Then they had nothing to lose and we have to then deal with the things we've not dealt with as well as we should have done recently.

“Direct play, first and second balls and set plays. I thought the two centre-halves were outstanding, they matched the threat well and were outstanding. There were some good performances out there today.”

MORE: Former Leeds United midfielder issues verdict on future of Sheffield United goalkeeper Michael Cooper