Sheffield United’s assertive performance at Liverpool sets the template, believes Chris Wilder

Wilder’s side turned in their best display of the campaign, albeit in a losing cause in a narrow 2-1 loss at Anfield.

It provided them with hope, if no points, ahead of stiff tests against Manchester City and Chelsea after their winless start to the league campaign stretched to six matches.

Wilder may have regularly spoken last season about not being overly interested in moral victories, with points taking priority over performance.

But after witnessing his side’s proactive display at Liverpool – when a controversial penalty from Sander Berge put the Blades in front in a league game for the first time in 2020-21 before home goals from Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota secured the points for the hosts – he expressed confidence that his side will start picking up tangible rewards if they maintain their performance levels in the weeks ahead.

Wilder said: “They have to recognize that is the level of performance. We have not been far off it, but that was right up there to play in the manner we did and the attitude we showed and how competitive we made it for world-class players. That has to be the consistency now for us.

“We will get into a rhythm and hopefully a few players back and start taking a few more chances. If we do, we will turn tight games into draws and tight draws into wins. That’s got to be the ambition.

“I can take that performance all day. You have to be relative in your thought process in terms of who you are up against.

“You are looking for your team to put a performance in and be aggressive and competitive and players to stand up to the challenge of playing Liverpool with the players and manager they have got and go and be positive in our approach. I thought everybody was, to a man.”

It was a night at Anfield when a number of Blades players showcased their credentials, with Ethan Ampadu excelling in a midfield role, while Oli McBurnie – brought down for a disputed penalty when replays showed that Fabinho’s 13th-minute challenge won the ball – also produced a dominant performance among others.

In contrast, club record signing Rhian Brewster had a quiet night on his full debut against his former club, but Wilder believes there were mitigating factors for that.

On McBurnie, the Blades manager commented: “I thought he was excellent and it was a proper ‘No 9’ performance. He got up against their two centre-halves and linked the play well.

“I thought it was difficult for Rhian. I wanted to get him a game and he is going to be the future of the football club and we have to get him up and running. It was an unfortunate situation for him to start against his former club and it was a weird situation for a 20-year-old boy. But he will be better and come through it.

“But I thought McBurnie held his hand all night and it will be a decent partnership for us. I thought Oli was outstanding all night and I also thought Ethan was in the middle of the park.

“That was a big decision as Oli Norwood was good last week, especially in the first half. But this was a game for mobility in the middle and I thought Ethan was absolutely outstanding.”

Anfield analysis: Page 3

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