Wilson is taking balanced view as Blades approach TV test

The Blades host Brentford tomorrow lunchtime in the division’s game of the day as fourth faces second in front of the live Sky cameras.

Victory would be enough to lift Wilson’s men back above the Bees and provide the perfect tonic to last weekend’s shock 4-0 defeat at Stevenage.

The United manager was as disappointed as anyone by the result, not least because his team had gone into the Broadhall Way game on the back of six consecutive clean sheets.

However, Wilson is also adamant that no one should get too carried by any individual result during a run-in that is certain to contain many more twists and turns before the season draws to a close on April 27.

He said: “The key at this stage of a season is to keep a bit of calmness about you and also keep that bit of belief.

“You can’t keep fluctuating in your emotions because a result goes one way or the other. Last week, everyone was down. Why?

“We lost one game and, all of a sudden, the house was crumbling. But it isn’t. We are near the top of the division for a reason and that is because we are a bloody good side.

“I appreciate expectation levels get higher and higher each season. It tells a story that 103 managers and coaches have been sacked this season. The patience isn’t there like it used to be.

“We accept that, even if it isn’t right. But I do feel from Sheffield United’s point of view, we are getting stronger and stronger – both on and off the park.

“We are still challenging, which after all the transition we have had is great.

“I think you have to tip your hat to the players for that.

“We have a great chance of getting back into the Championship and that is the belief we have to have.

“We have stayed steady and not got too carried away or down over results.”

Ahead of Brentford’s visit, United are sweating on the fitness of Jamie Murphy, who limped out of the Stevenage defeat with a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Wilson has moved to explain the decision to allow Richard Cresswell to return to former club York City – who, on Tuesday night, slipped into the League Two relegation zone courtesy of results elsewhere – on loan earlier this week.

Wilson insists the 34-year-old could still play a part in United’s season.

He said: “York are a club he knows very well and with the problems they are having right now, he wanted to help.

“The good thing from our point of view is we do have a recall clause if anything goes wrong.

“It is also good for him to get minutes under his belt, as we might need him in the last three or four games.”