Keep calm and carry on - Sheffield United chief confident Blades will bounce back

A first Championship loss in 11 matches saw United drop out of the top two, ramping up the pressure ahead of Saturday’s Roses trip to play-off chasing Preston.

The Bladese took the lead twice against the Robins, but were pegged back on each occasion by goals from Andreas Weimann, who completed his hat-trick with a dramatic winner seven minutes from time.

It inflicted a first home reverse since mid-December upon the Blades, whose hopes of recording a club record-equalling eighth straight clean sheet were dashed.

Confident that his side will respond, Wilder said: “Sometimes you have to take it on the chin and come roaring back. We will keep nice and calm and keep believing in what we are doing and what got us into this position.

“I am absolutely sure we will come roaring back this week when we go to Preston backed by 6,000 fans. If that cannot keep them going then nothing will, and I am sure there will be a reaction.”

Offering a sense of perspective to events he added: “You look at it and you can see it is going to be tight. I do not get involved in what is going on elsewhere during a game. But you look at Leeds going behind twice and coming back.

“That is the way it is going to be. One minute we are going up as champions, the next we have got no chance.

“It is going to be tight all the way through, and we have got to make sure we keep it that way. We should not let a bad day at the office wreck our season.”

Mark Duffy (Achilles) and Jack O’Connell (calf) will be assessed by the club’s medical staff this week.