SHEFFIELD United manager Chris Wilder admits that the 17th-placed Blades must ‘fight their way' through another difficult period in their Championship season after the depleted visitors went down 1-0 at Southampton.

Saints, whose previous league success was a 3-2 win over West Brom on December 9, ended a seven-match winless run with a precious three points following an early deflected goal from Leo Scienza, which eased the pressure on head coach Tonda Eckert ahead of Sunday's south coast derby at Portsmouth.

United, meanwhile, suffered a second successive loss on a night when they were without the suspended duo Djibril Soumare and Japhet Tanganga, while the likes of Jairo Riedewald and Tyler Bindon were unavailable. Gus Hamer, subject of a fair bit of transfer speculation, started from the bench.

Wilder was also mindful of the workload of Patrick Bamford, who was also named as a substitute with United having a turnaround of less than 72 hours before Saturday's home game with promotion-chasing Ipswich Town.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder (centre) gestures on the touchline during the Sky Bet Championship match at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire.

placeholder image — Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder (centre) gestures on the touchline during the Sky Bet Championship match at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire.

The setback at Saints means United are looking over their shoulders and are just four points above the relegation zone.

Wilder felt his side's battling second-half performance merited a point. The visitors almost snatched an 89th-minute leveller but Saints goalkeeper Daniel Peretz produced a crucial save to deny Bamford.

United created little for large parts of the contest but finished in the ascendancy.

Wilder said: "We've got to take something from that game, 100 per cent, especially second half.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder and Southampton manager Tonda Eckert react on the touchline during the Sky Bet Championship match at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire.

"First half we were a little bit leggy and took our time to get going but we were a lot better second half.

"Even the last five, 10 minutes, we could possibly win that 3-1 with the chances we had but we've got to convert those situations.

"As much as the defeat pains me, we've got a team that's having a right go. But I want us to have a right go and get something from the game and I certainly think we deserved something from the game.

"It's a tough gig at the moment for everybody, losing the players we have done. But we've just got to fight our way through it and that's what we'll do."