QPR v Sheffield United: No gimmes insists Chris Wilder as Championship aspirants aim to grab late party invites

Yes, there are fascinating stories there as four breakaway sides, including White Rose duo Sheffield United and Leeds United, slug it out for two automatic promotion slots between now and late afternoon on May 3.

At the bottom, a good half-dozen or so teams are either scrapping for their lives or watching their backs.

But what about the others?. One glance at the league table from mid-table upwards truly conveys the division in all its glory.

From the team in 14th place up to the side currently in fifth position in West Brom, just seven points separate 10 clubs.

Virtually every side are still fighting for something, perhaps with the exception of Swansea City, who look to be the only team currently ‘stuck in no-man’s land with no active interest in the play-offs or relegation.

That said, a very good or very bad ‘three-game week’ could even change things there.

Chris Wilder’s Blades – who have lost just once on their travels since October 23 - face that team currently occupying 14th spot in QPR, beaten on just one occasion on home soil since November 5, today.

A side who propped up the division four days later after winning just once in their opening 15 matches.

A side who now have something else to play for, potentially. That’s the Championship, folks..

Wilder, who knows this level better than most, said: "There’s some huge challenges.

“People will look at the fixture list and think ‘that is a gimme, that’s a gimme’.

"Everyone has got everything to play for and it’s one of those seasons where if you look at it, the top four have got a huge prize to play for.

"There’s another dozen clubs, QPR included, who will potentially feel that if they win seven or eight out of the last 12, it will put them into contention for a play-off place and then there’s those who are trying to stay in the division. Everyone has always got something to play for.

"There will be 12 opponents who are desperate to win and we want to win as much as anybody else. We’re in a good place and let’s see how it all unfolds.

"QPR have got a decent record at home. We have the best away record in the division and will fancy our chances of going there and getting a result.

"But like all the challenges we have had away from home recently, like at Luton and Derby, we will have the same ones there.

"They have some good honest pros and a smart manager who has them playing good football."

One of those solid professionals is a player who United pursued in the winter window in R’s defender Jimmy Dunne. Had things been different, he could well now be turning our in red and white stripes instead of blue and white hoops.

United tabled a bid for the Irishman, 27, who netted in the reverse fixture at Bramall Lane in August, but it was knocked back by the R’s. Wilder quickly moved on, no dramas.

"We made a bid for Jimmy and it got turned down,” the Blades chief continued.

"He wasn't our player at the time and QPR had every right to do what they needed to do at that particular moment.

"For a player that was out of contract in the summer, we put a reasonably good bid in. QPR had every right to turn that down and they did and then we moved on and I’m delighted we got Rob (Holding) in and he’s been outstanding and is really pushing and pushing.

"It’s great for us and the coaches to have him in and around our group."

The smart money is on former Arsenal defender Holding, whose professionalism and standard-setting on the training ground was lauded by Wilder ahead of today’s fixture, proving his value at some point during a climactic run-in.

United have others who are likely to be pressed into service and leaned upon. Among that number is seasoned striker Kieffer Moore, who performed at the sharp end of Ipswich’s promotion campaign last term.

Now fit again, the Wales international and former Barnsley and Rotherham United target man is just the sort of player whom managers crave at this time of proceedings.

You certainly sense that Wilder knows it.

On the symbolism and importance of Moore, whose appearance as a late replacement on Monday was first since New Year's Day following hernia surgery, Wilder added: “It’s absolutely huge and another one for other clubs (to consider).

"There will be some (other) players who haven’t played all season who will come back into the mix and other clubs will be going ‘we’ve got him back and it’s a big bonus for us’.

"And to have Kieffer back is a big bonus for us. We want as many people back fit to be able to choose from and that will be key as well.

"We’re in good nick and have only got Blaster (Ollie Arblaster) out for a long-term period."