Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder on when to expect 'risks' amid tense Championship top-two battle with Leeds United and Burnley — Yorkshire Post 8/3/25
By Leon Wobschall
AMID a tight and tense race for automatic promotion to the
Premier League, taking a successful risk or two during a climactic run-in could
go a long way towards who finishes in the top two.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder is well aware of that.
Just don’t expect the risks to come right now.
Wilder’s second-placed side welcome Preston today - in a
Roses encounter which sees former Leeds United and Barnsley chief Paul
Heckingbottom make his first return to Bramall Lane following his exit in
December 2023.
The game is the start of a run of three games in eight days
for the Blades, who host play-off aspirants Bristol City ahead of a Steel City
derby at Sheffield Wednesday a week tomorrow.
Given the intense schedule, Wilder is conscious of
monitoring the minutes of several players, while Harry Clarke, Tom Davies and
possibly Alfie Gilchrist are not expected to be back in contention until the
home game with Coventry on March 28.
Wilder is minded to err on the side of caution regarding
players’ fitness at the minute. Amid the intense fight for promotion with
Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland, that could change.
Wilder, without Rhys Norrington-Davies (groin) for at least
three games, said: "There’s times when we are going to take risks because
the risk is worth it. If we are going into the last two or three games of the
season and understand that’s a risk worth taking, then no doubt we will have a
go at that.
"But we have to be really smart now in our approach. We
have got a three-game week coming up and all different types of challenges.
"Femi (Seriki) is playing catch-up with his minutes and
there’s a couple we have to be careful of as well. We have to be careful with
Tom Cannon and Gus, so we don’t overload them and make sensible decisions and
manage their minutes.”
Wilder has confirmed that talks over a new contract for key
defender Anel Ahmedhodzic are ‘on the agenda’.
The Bosnian is contracted until the summer of 2026 and has
less than 18 months left on his deal.