“Wilder’s Jaw-Dropping Confession About Sunderland Sends Shockwaves Before Wembley Showdown
Chris Wilder Uncertain of Sunderland’s Approach Ahead of Play-Off Final but Urges Blades to Stick to Their Plan
Chris Wilder has acknowledged that he’s unsure what kind of challenge Sunderland will present when his Sheffield United side meets them at Wembley this weekend in the Championship play-off final.
Despite the uncertainty, Wilder is adamant that his players must stay committed to their own strategy, regardless of how the Black Cats line up.
Both teams claimed home wins during the regular season. At Bramall Lane, a late goal from Tom Davies secured victory for United, while an earlier clash at the Stadium of Light saw Sunderland capitalise on a missed Kieffer Moore penalty and some key errors from United to clinch the points.
Sunderland secured their place at Wembley in dramatic fashion, with defender Dan Ballard netting a stoppage-time winner against Coventry City in the semi-final.
In contrast, Sheffield United eased past Bristol City with a commanding 6-0 aggregate win.
When asked what sort of game he’s anticipating, Wilder was candid in his response. “I don’t know. Honestly, I can’t say for sure.
I could base it on how they played earlier in the season, or in the last couple of games. Every team has its style, but we need to be ready for anything.”
“The games against them have varied,” he continued. “In one match, they sat back and we had to break them down. In the other, we missed chances and made mistakes—they punished us, and we weren’t strong enough.”
Wilder noted that his squad is now in a much stronger position than when they last faced Sunderland away.
January signings have significantly improved squad depth, helping the Blades end the season with 90 points—averaging two points per game.
“One thing I’ve emphasised is the importance of substitutions and depth,” Wilder said. “When we played them away, our bench was mostly under-21 players. That needed to change, and it did in January.”
“Now, especially for the weekend, our bench will look very different. Sunderland started that home game strongly. They’re a young, energetic side with real character and quality.”
“They have threats all over the pitch, otherwise they wouldn’t be in this position. But so do we.
We’ve done a lot of things right, and so have they. The key is to be fully focused and deliver our game plan no matter what challenges come our way.”
