Eighty-seven days. That was all it took to ruin a formula which took Sheffield United so close to this season's Premier League. Less than half a year on, the only way they are going to leave the Championship is via the trapdoor.

Hopefully it should not come to that, but hopefully is the word.

Chris Wilder's return as manager has certainly improved things from the disaster that was Ruben Selles' brief reign, but not nearly enough. The Blades remain in the Championship relegation zone, three points from safety.

Flawed recruitment contributed as much as Selles' coaching, but what has been left behind is a mess. Many of us expected Wilder to transform things but the improvement has only gone as far as three wins in eight games.

HAT-TRICK HERO: Derby County's Carlton Morris (third from right) heads his first goal (Image: Bruce Rollinson/PA Wire)

placeholder image — HAT-TRICK HERO: Derby County's Carlton Morris (third from right) heads his first goal (Image: Bruce Rollinson/PA Wire)

In losing 3-1 to a Derby County side who arrived at Bramall Lane with only one away win all season, they looked bereft of quality, low on confidence, and ponderous mentally in the defensive moments that matter.

Without being amazing, the Rams exploited it ruthlessly, with Carlton Morris helping himself to a hat-trick.

Very few home supporters stuck it out to the end, but those that did booed the players off, and with good reason.

Partly because of the match situation, the Blades had plenty of the ball, especially but with both sides gumming up the midfield, they lacked the guile to play through it. So, in fairness, did the Rams, but with the hosts switching off a couple of times at set pieces, that was enough to get them up and running.

UNDER PRESSURE: Ben Mee (left) Is closed down by Ben Brereton Diaz (Image: Bruce Rollinson/PA Wire)

Djibril Soumare showed moments of quality, but when he made space for a ninth-minute shot, he dragged it wide. There was an air of desperation at Chiedozie Ogbene going down so easily in the area when he he felt both of Craig Forsyth's hands on his back a couple of minutes later.

Had he not looked so eager to go to ground, Michael Salisbury might have looked at the penalty appeals more favourably.

It took until midway through the first half for Derby to pose a threat, but they made it count.

Bobby Clark's shot took a touch as it went wide, and Morris appeared to lose Sydie Peck at the corner before outjumping Soumare at the near post to head in.

IN THE RUNNING: Tyrese Campbell (Image: Harriet Massey/Getty Images)

Ben Brereton Diaz almost instantly doubled the lead against his odl club, but Michael Cooper pushed the goalbound shot away.

Again Derby were more switched on at the corner, Matt Clarke's near-post header just a yard in front of giving Morris a tap-in from space at the far post.

They were also first to headers at the other end, Sam McCallum getting a real run onto a Peck delivery in the 36th minute, only for former Middlesbrough defender Clarke to make a vital interception.

He also made a terrific tackle as Callum O'Hare threatened to burst onto a lovely Tyrese Campbell flick.

CELEBRATIONS: Carlton Morris enjoys his goal (Image: Harriet Massey/Getty Images)

It was Campbell who had the best chance of the first half in added time, but he headed a gorgeous cross from Ogbene over – the highest player on the right of a formation which went from 4-2-3-1- to 3-4-2-1 over.

Annie's Song had to be cut short as Morris burst through on goal seconds after the restart and dinked the ball over Cooper for 2-0.

Peck had taken the kick off and it was his misplaced pass to Mee when he got it back which sent the striker through.

Midfielder Alex Matos was one of two players thrown on after the hour – Ryan One the other – to try to rescue things, but in the unusual position of right-back.

Seconds after he came on, the powerful Patrick Agyemang went past him, then Tanganga . As Matos came back for another try at the byline, he dropped onto the ball. Referee Salisbury harshly pointed to the penalty spot, presumably for handball.

Morris sent Cooper the wrong way to complete his hat-trick and prompted a mass exodus from disgruntled home fans. The former Barnsley striker now has six goals against the Blades in the last four seasons.

Obviously the Blades threw all they had at the Rams, playing a 4-2-4 by the end and although they created sone good chances, only Callum O'Hare put one away.

He reacted well to get in front of Clarke as McCallum's long throw-in bounced about.

One, who came on as a left winger, got his head on an Ogbene cross for an effort Jacob Widell Zetterstrom almost flinched away, and the keeper made a good save to deny O'Hare a second, low to his right.

When One picked out fellow substitute Danny Ings, his instinctive header was going about 18 yards wide before a defender got to it.

The boos and the empty seats said it all: simply not good enough.

Sheffield United: Cooper;Tanganga, McGuinness (Matos 60), Mee, McCallum (Burrows 79); Peck, Soumare (T Davies 68); Ogbene (Ings 79), O'Hare, Brooks (One 60); Campbell.

Unused substitutes: Bindon, A Davies, Nwachukwu, Riedewald.

Derby County: Widell Zetterström; Langas, Sanderson, Clarke; Ward, Clark (Adams 79), Ozoh, Forsyth; Brereton Diaz (Brewster 73), Agyemang (Jackson 79(; Morris (Salvesen 87).

Unused substitutes: Batth, Blackett-Taylor, Weimann, Nyambe, Vickers.

Referee: M Salisbury (Higher Penwortham).