Sheffield United team news: Injured players on the way back... but not just yet

The Blades have a long list of players out injured and it is starting to show, with two defeats and a draw from their festive games. With the transfer window now open, the Championship promotion-chasers are looking to be active in the market but Wilder is not expecting any new players to pick from on his first return as a manager to former club Watford.

"The good news is I think I've got about six players coming back in about a week's time," he said. "That's encouraging.

"In and around the Cardiff (FA Cup) game, definitely for the Norwich game (on January 18).

"There's a completely different look to the group, moreso (for) the Norwich game than maybe the Cardiff game

"It's a tough period that we're going through. We've got 50 per cent of the starting team out at the moment, I would say - (Oliver) Arblaster, (Vinicuius) Souza, (Harry) Souttar, Tyrese Campbell, (Jesurun) Rak-Sakyi, they've been main actors for us for the majority of the first part season so to have 50 per cent of your starting line-up out is difficult and it's a blow but we've just got to get on with it.

"The attitude of the group is good, there's no white flags, nobody feeling sorry for themselves, even the other night at a tough place to go (Sunderland), we dominated the game.

"But we've just got to keep working hard. I'm one of those that the harder you work, the luckier you get.

"We kept going until the end at Sunderland, we tried to get ourselves back into the game, we just got punished for three disappointing moments that completely changed the game.

"There will be some negativity around as there always is when you lose games of football. The ultimate thing we look at is where we are in the division, what we've accumulated so far and what we need to accumulate by the end of the season."

On the prospect of new signings as Wilder looks to add Championship experience as well as just numbers to his group, the manager said: "I've had incredibly positive talks with the new owners and (chief executive) Stephen Bettis. Our targets we are chasing down, we're in dialogue with parent clubs as well.

"It's not straight-forward, I never expected anything to be done before Saturday with the window only just opening, historically a tough window to work in and when players are coveted by other clubs they're looking to see what other opportunities there are to make a couple of quid and get the best possible deal. We're looking to get the best possible deal from a financial point of view and there's options for the players. I would imagine the players we're in for will have other clubs that want their services.

"I met the new owners last week, we had a recruitment meeting, I've been in constant contact personally and through Stephen Bettis and I'm really encouraged and delighted by their approach to help me out.

"They want to support me and they know we need players in to bolster and boost the group for the second part of the season and they're excited about the future just as much as I am."