Sheffield United 0 Leeds United 1: Chris Wilder casts verdict on Dean Henderson mistake following 'unjust' result

Sheffield United head coach Chris Wilder said he wouldn't hide goalkeeper Dean Henderson away from criticism after his mistake handed Leeds United a 1-0 victory at Bramall Lane.
Sheffield United head coach Chris Wilder casts verdict on Leeds United defeat.Sheffield United head coach Chris Wilder casts verdict on Leeds United defeat.
Sheffield United head coach Chris Wilder casts verdict on Leeds United defeat.

An 82nd minute Pablo Hernandez strike was enough to give Marcelo Bielsa's team all three points in Saturday lunchtime's Yorkshire derby.

Henderson, who is on a season-long loan with the Blades from Manchester United, attempted to keep a stray pass from John Egan in play but the 21-year-old saw his effort intercepted by half-time substitute Jack Clarke who then picked out Hernandez perfectly with the Spaniard able to tap home into an empty net.

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Wilder was left frustrated with the defeat and admitted afterwords that he wouldn't hold the Red Devils loanee's hand following the fixture.

"I thought it was a really good game," the Blades boss said following the defeat. "Credit to them in their approach. From the start of the season, it's been positive.

"There was no way they were going to come and sit back. I thought it was a similar approach from our point of view as well and maybe decided by a bit of magic, taking a chance or a mistake and unfortunately for us it's the final one.

"We've made a big mistake and we have to accept that. Dean (Henderson) is a big boy and he'll get on with it. I'm not going to rub his head for him. It's part and parcel of being a professional footballer and especially a goalkeeper.

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Wilder was also left annoyed by referee Oliver Langford's performance in the middle: “There were some really strange decisions out there. He became quite involved. The best referees go about it quietly and let both teams get on with their business and he certainly didn’t.

“It's a bit of an unjust result in terms of the score. We were causing them just as many problems as they were causing us. It was maybe going to be decided by a bit of magic, taking a chance or a mistake. Unfortunately it's the final one.”