Sheffield United v Wrexham: Chris Wilder defuses tension ahead of spicy Carabao Cup tie

The pair were involved in two tense and controversial FA Cup games, with United prevailing following a fourth-round replay at S2.

Wrexham chief Phil Parkinson went onto deny allegations from then Blades captain Billy Sharp that the Red Dragons had been 'disrespectful' in the build-up to the second meeting.

The ex-Bradford City and Hull City manager went onto accuse Sharp of the very same thing.

It has helped to provide a tasty subplot ahead of this latest meeting. But for his part, Blades manager Chris Wilder says there will be no animosity whatsoever on show between both sets of management staff.

Wilder was an apprentice in his playing days at Southampton with Parkinson and also knows his number two Steve Parkin and goalkeeping coach Aidan Davison well.

He is also full of respect for the Wrexham story and the stellar rise of the North Wales club under the auspices of Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Wilder, who will mix up his line-up tonight, said: “They have done fabulously well. I think there’s a lot of jealousy out there in football, but however they have gone about it, they have won games of football when the pressure has been on them.

"I know a little bit of an interesting situation happened the year before in the FA Cup, so there’s a little bit maybe in that between both clubs, but not between coaches as far as I am concerned.

"They (Wrexham) have been on a great ride and doesn’t look as if it’s ending pretty soon.

"I know how hard it is to get out of the Conference and they did it and to go and get back-to-back promotions is fabulous for Phil Parkinson, a guy I’ve known very, very well for a number of years since we were 14 or 15 at Southampton’s academy.

"He’s done remarkably well. Steve Parkin is his assistant manager and I know him really well and he’s a big ‘Blade’, so that might be an interesting one for him. A 'Worksop Blade' as I like to call him!”

Wilder, speaking on Monday afternoon, said that he expected further incoming signings in the ‘next 24 to 72 hours’.

Following the arrivals of Tyrese Campbell, Alfie Gilchrist and Harry Souttar, United are poised to confirm the addition of Crystal Palace loan winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, previously linked with Leeds United and Hull City.

The club are hopeful of bringing in a new goalkeeper ahead of Saturday’s home game with QPR, with Plymouth Argyle’s Michael Cooper remaining their main target.

Meanwhile, Wilder believes that the club’s flying start to the season at Preston on Friday night - and hopefully more scenes like that in the next few games - will add to their transfer pitch as they seek to beat rivals to further keynote signings.

He continued: “It was a great advert for us as a football club, 4,500 to 5,000 supporters behind the goal and the scenes at the end and the way we played and set up.

"It’s possibly the best advert, not listening to the old manager ‘talk the talk’ again."