Write swashbuckling Sheffield United off at you peril, warns Chris Wilder

The Blades are odds-on favourites to go down with the bookmakers, while the vast majority of pundits are also tipping the club for an instant return to the Championship.

“I am fine with that,” said Wilder, when asked about his side’s chances of surviving among the elite being widely dismissed. “No problem at all. Same with the players. It is something we have to embrace. I have no issue at all.

“Where would these players rather be – playing in the Championship last week or playing in the best league in the world? Whatever people say about us, it is opinions. Nothing more.

“We just have to stay strong and believe in what we are doing. Believe this is the right way. It is about who takes opportunities. We were not backed last year, nor were the other team who went straight up. But the door opened and we took that opportunity to go up.

“People were saying ‘this team is the best one’ or ‘they should have gone up’. The best two teams finished first and second, and the third best went up through the play-offs.

“Bookies’ favourites, stats-wise, two out of the three (newly promoted teams) got relegated (last season). So, yes, we understand we are up against it. We have come a long way in a short time and there are a lot of powerful clubs in this division.

“We understand that but it does not change how we are as a group.

“Stick together, work hard for each other and be determined not to make the numbers up.”

United return to the top flight after a 12-year absence with a trip to Bournemouth.

Wilder has vowed to retain the swashbuckling style that brought promotion, albeit with a few tweaks to represent the step up in class.

“We went after every game last season,” he added. “We tried to be competitive and accumulate points. And look what happened. That is what we will try to do again.

“I took some criticism in the past for being a little bit gung-ho. I was trying to put another forward on and ‘Knilly ‘(Alan Knill, assistant) is in my ear, saying, ‘You already have four on, which one you taking off?’

“There are basic things we will haver to alter and adjust. We understand that points are so precious in the Premier league.

“A point now and again away from home might be a precious one, rather than the manager having a head loss and thinking we can win it.

“But in terms of our style and how we play, we will not take a wrecking ball to what got us here in the first place. They enjoy playing in that system, they are comfortable in it.”