Chris Wilder's thoughts turn to next season after Sheffield United loss

Second-half strikes from Curtis Jones and an own goal credited to Kean Bryan, who deflected a shot from Roberto Firmino past the excellent Aaron Ramsdale saw the rock-bottom Blades suffer a fourth successive league loss and a tenth Premier League defeat on home soil this term.

With the Championship beckoning for United, Wilder is now looking at a bigger picture, while being hopeful that his side - cast adrift at the foot of the table - can claw back a semblance of pride in the club's remaining games.

He said: "Even the most optimistic of staff, players and Sheffield United supporters will think this is quite a tough situation for us to get out of, but I have to be realistic.

"We have had two (top-flight) seasons - whereas the majority will think we have had one - and have raised a couple of quid and tried to invest in young players in case that if we do take the drop, we can come back strong.

"What the club needs to do now is keep hold of all their best players and maybe add a couple in the summer and come flying back.

"That is not the worst model in the world. I would love the model of somebody taking it in another direction, but I would imagine most managers in my position at the majority of clubs would like that opportunity.

"But we have got to be realistic and say that is the way we are and stick to the plan and regroup and do again.

"In the last dozen games of the season, we need to build momentum and have a little bit of a feel-good factor about ourselves and win some games."

On his side's display against Liverpool Wilder, who was withoout a host of players including his first-choice defensive trio of John Egan, Chris Basham and Jack O'Connell alongside Sander Berge and Jayden Bogle, among others, added: "We had a right go but lacked quality and strength in depth. You need your best players to be at the top of game. You need a bit more in this division because it's brutal and it exposes you.

"Liverpool have got some world-class players because not only have they been successful on the European stage but also the world stage.

"The two goals we conceded were really disappointing. You have to be perfect out of possession and perfect in possession against Liverpool and we weren't.

"We haven't taken chances that have come to us. There in a nutshell is our season. We're not defending anywhere near as well as we did last season."