Blades told by Wilson to be wary of more Cup upset

Wilson warned the Blades that they will achieve nothing this season unless their performances become stronger and more committed.

His side lost 6-5 on penalties to Bradford on Tuesday night and now have to overcome another potential ‘banana skin’ against Oxford United this weekend in the first round of the FA Cup.

“If we are going to achieve anything that people expect us to achieve this year, the performances have to be stronger and more committed than that,” admitted Wilson.

“It shouldn’t matter what the competition is – if you go out, you go out kicking and scratching and biting and we did not do that.”

Wilson rested four first-team regulars for the Yorkshire derby – Nick Montgomery, Stephen Quinn, Richard Cresswell and Matthew Lowton – but refused to use that as an excuse for the performance.

“We should have had enough in the team to get through the tie,” he said. “But there were areas where they didn’t work as hard as I expect them to.

“You are in a Cup tie and you cannot have passengers. They might not be having the best of games but what you can give is that commitment and that desire and, unfortunately, in two or three areas, I was disappointed that we didn’t have that.

“It was a great opportunity to get through to the next round, maybe one off a final and that annoys me more than anything. We let it go too easy.

“The group is what it is, part and parcel of the squad, and they are in there for a reason – but they have not done themselves much power of good in certain areas. They have let themselves down in too many areas.

“The team was strong enough and good enough to get through the tie,” he added. “I don’t want that to sound as if I am belittling Bradford because I certainly am not. They taught us a lesson in terms of commitment.”

The Blades have now won just three of their last 10 games in all competitions and Wilson is demanding a response against Oxford on Saturday.

“It can go one of two ways now,” he said. “They either react to it or they don’t. The ball is in the court of certain people.

“We have another big game on Saturday but people will look at this result and think ‘Crikey, it is a tough game for us now’. Oxford will be absolutely buoyant. No doubt about it.

“But we have to show that mettle, resilience and professionalism to put a setback behind us and drive forward again.”

Both Billy Clarke and Matt Phillips have now gone back to Blackpool after completing one-month loan deals at Bramall Lane.

Wilson attempted to keep both players but the move was blocked by Blackpool manager Ian Holloway.

Phillips scored six goals in six games during his stay and Wilson admitted that his departure leaves a big hole to be filled in the side.

“When you get a a goal return like that in a month, it’s got to be a loss,” he said. “Now someone else has to come in and step up to the plate with that kind of form.

“The challenge, for whoever comes in, in that place, will be to try and keep that type of return going for the team.”

Asked if there was any chance of Phillips and Clarke returning to the club, Wilson said: “At the moment, there is no chance – but I’m not too sure if that will be 100 per cent in two weeks’ time. It might change again.”

Midfielder Lee Williamson is a strong contender to replace Phillips against Oxford after recovering from a shin injury suffered four games ago.

On loan winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing has still not recovered from a hamstring injury and is working on his match fitness at parent club Wolves.

Warren Joyce is the latest name to be linked with the Hull City manager’s job pending Nigel Pearson’s imminent return to Leicester City.

Former Hull player/manager Joyce – architect of the famous “Great Escape” season when Hull avoided relegation from the Football League in 1998-99 – is understood to be on the short-list of candidates to replace Pearson, who is expected to be appointed Leicester manager by tomorrow night.

Fellow fans’ favourite Nick Barmby is also believed to be on Hull’s radar, along with Huddersfield’s Lee Clark, MK Dons’s Karl Robinson and former Rotherham and Barnsley boss Mark Robins.

Hull want an up-and-coming manager to replace Pearson, who is set to earn £1m a year at the Foxes and be given £8m to spend in the January transfer window.

Hull and Leicester are understood to be thrashing out compensation terms for the 48-year-old, along with his backroom duo of Craig Shakespeare and Steve Walsh, who are expected to follow him south.

Hull are keen to act quickly to replace Pearson and could see Joyce, 46, as an ideal candidate.

The 46-year-old has developed an excellent coaching record in recent years, having had a spell at Royal Antwerp before joining Manchester United’s coaching staff, where he currently serves as reserve team coach.

It remains to be seen whether Joyce could be lured from Old Trafford for another crack at frontline management with Championship side Tigers.