Chris Wilder makes Sheffield United admission after missed Leeds United chance with points declaration

Chris Wilder made an honest Sheffield United admission but with a vow and points declaration after seeing his side blow a Leeds United chance.

Wilder’s side lined up for Friday night’s Championship hosting of Hull City knowing that a victory would take them back above Leeds at the top of the division ahead of the Whites visiting third-placed Burnley on Monday night.

The second-placed Blades, though, fell to a 3-0 defeat which has left them one point behind Leeds and just two points above Burnley but having played a game more than both sides.

Speaking post match to Sky Sports, Wilder delivered an honest assessment of the situation, admitting his side had been “hanging on in there” of late in the battle for automatic promotion.

Wilder, though, vowed that there would be no overreaction to the defeat as he hailed his side’s achievement in amassing 60 points minus their two points deduction and declared that his team were “right in there” in the battle for a top two finish.

Asked by Sky Sports for his assessment of the evening, Wilder said: “We lost a game of football. I'm not going to beat the players up, we've got 60 points after so many games.

"I think all your presenters and commentators that have looked at our team sheet and seen the bodies that we have had to put out and how stretched we have been for quite a number of weeks, we maybe have been quite surprised that we have managed to win the last three games on the spin and be in the position that we are.

"We're disappointed tonight but they deserved their victory, they are a good group and they worked hard.

"It was a difficult evening for us but I'm not going to beat the players up over one result.

"Everybody is so dramatic about everything, when you win you are going to do this and when you lose you are out of the race.

"There is still a lot of football to be played, I am an experienced manager, I have been in this situation before so we have got to take it on the chin, we have got to take the disappointment of losing a home game on a Friday night with the opportunity of going to the top of the division.

"It's not a mug league, we have got no given right to just rock up and win a game of football, we have to look at ourselves.

"But I did feel just before that maybe this would have been a great result if we got a big result because of how things have gone over the last six to eight weeks.

"We're hanging on in there and this one has just hurt us and we have to recover pretty quickly but I am sure minutes on the training ground, a couple of players that we are after that I'm sure we'll get for Monday and Tuesday to help the group because there's a couple of players in there that really need a rest and we are playing a left back in the middle of the park and a young 19-year-old in there as well, but we have to look at ourselves first and foremost and say we've not done enough to win a game of football."

Wilder added: "It's a big week for us. A big game at Derby next week so we have to come in nice and positive and look at what we have done so far.

"We can't just keep talking about it and say it forever and ever but we have got 60 points and we are in the mix.

"So take it on the chin, move quickly on, get over it, not feel sorry about ourselves or the situation that we are in and try and rectify it with a big week of work and hopefully a big result at Derby next Saturday."