Chris Wilder admits his Sheffield United squad is bigger than he would like, but it should help them through the end of a difficult week.

Queens Park Rangers are the third team the Blades will play in seven days and on paper the game ought to be the easiest, but perhaps only on paper.

Three-game weeks are always tough. Sheffield Wednesday may be a historically bad Championship team, but derbies are different, and Kalvin Phillips’ 49th-minute red card turned it into a real test.

Coventry City are the best division’s, and the Blades had to swallow playing well against a top-two side but losing at home to them for the second week time this month.

QPR lost on Tuesday, but in the Championship, the 5-0 scoreline at Southampton was a danger sign.

"They'll be looking for a reaction in front of their supporters – I know what I'd be like, and what our players would be like if they'd been beaten four or 5-0, or by any score,” warns Wilder, “and we've been beaten so I'm looking for a reaction from my players as well.

"A really talented Southampton side can do that to you. I think their manager said afterwards a couple of key things happened, they started the game pretty well, lost a couple of players through injury, and went chasing it and then got punished.

"But you've seen their results at home. They turned Coventry over three or four weeks ago, they've beaten some top sides at home.

CRESTFALLEN: Sheffield United goalkeeper Michael Cooper at full-time after his side's 2-1 defeat to Coventry City (Image: Andrew Yates / Sportimage)

placeholder image — CRESTFALLEN: Sheffield United goalkeeper Michael Cooper at full-time after his side's 2-1 defeat to Coventry City (Image: Andrew Yates / Sportimage)

"I enjoy going there, I think our supporters enjoy going there. I think it's been sold out for weeks. Hopefully we can reward them with a positive result.

"It's always a difficult place to go. We've never gone there and comfortably won."

Some of those who have been unable to make the side – perhaps even the squad lately – could get their chance at Loftus Road on Saturday.

"If we do whizz it around they're good players, they've been good players here and elsewhere," argues Wilder. "We've got faith in them.

DEMANDING A REACTION: Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder (Image: Simon Bellis / Sportimage)

"Without a shadow of doubt there'll be some changes. There' ll be some changes to the QPR team and I will be unbelievably surprised if any team in the division (who played in midweek) doesn't make some sort of change – maybe Coventry might be the ones that don't because of the three games they've won in the spin but I still wouldn't be surprised.

"If the performance levels stay the same, that would be great and that's what I'm looking for.

"They're all part of the process, all part of the gameplan. It's not like we're just taking 11 and the others are just away training. All the gameplan, details, how we are out of possession and in possession, they're all aware of that.

"If we do make changes I expect some really positive performances to come in and help us through this really tough week.

"If we get a win and it's six points from three games, that's where we want to be. We need that type of output between now and the end of the season, if not better."

Those who faced Coventry will be "just a little bit hurt, bruised and sore, really, about the daft seven or eight minutes.

"We got so much to take out of that game, how we played for over three-quarters of the game. The game is decided on the big moments and they found their big moments and we didn't.

"Players will only be better for the experience if they learn from it. That will define players' careers.

"They'll only get better individually in that particular moment if they learn from it and they don't do the same things again."

Lots of players will be put to the test on Saturday.