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Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has heaped praise on one player who has undergone a ‘tough’ campaign.
Sheffield United defeated Bristol City in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.
The Blades found themselves toe-to-toe with the Robins until Bristol City defender Rob Dickie gave away a penalty and was shown a red card after pulling down Kieffer Moore. Sheffield United took advantage of the one-man advantage and pulled away towards a 3-0 lead to take to Bramall Lane.
Sheffield United’s substitutes proved to make the difference in the second half to ensure that Chris Wilder’s side went into the second leg with a healthy scoreline on aggregate, with Andre Brookes and Callum O’Hare popping up with the goals. On top of that, another player shone after coming off the bench, one who has been subject to praise from Wilder after what he has accomplished this season.
Chris Wilder praises Sheffield United midfielder Tom Davies ahead of Bristol City second leg
Sheffield United are gearing up for their second leg against Bristol City, where they know that anything less than a three-goal deficit on the night will see them fight it out in the Championship play-off final for promotion to the Premier League.
Ahead of the game in Wilder’s press conference, the Sheffield United boss has highlighted midfielder Tom Davies as a ‘brilliant’ asset to his squad, suggesting that he has done brilliantly to emerge from what has been a difficult season plagued with injuries.
“Brilliant. Great bonus,” said Wilder via The Star. “We saw glimpses of it in and around December, he came back and scored the goal against Sunderland which was a brilliant moment for him.
“It’s been a tough gig, he’s picked up some injuries, so I’m really pleased for him. He’s a popular boy amongst the group and he’s a really good player. He brings that calmness and assurance to us.
“Sydie [Peck] was on a booking so I thought that was a sensible decision, to get him off the pitch. He’s been outstanding as well but Tom came on the pitch and seamlessly fitted into that role. He’s going to be a big player for us on Monday night and hopefully he can go on and carve out a career at Sheffield United, similar to the one that he had at Everton when he first started.”
Chris Wilder could use Bristol City second leg to bring Tom Davies up to speed
Prior to the clash with Bristol City, Davies notched 19 minutes of game time on the final day against Blackburn Rovers, his first appearances since the 3-1 home defeat to Leeds United back in February.
As shown by Wilder’s clear fondness for Davies, the Sheffield United boss will no doubt be keen to get the former Everton man up to speed in his return from injury, and the next clash with Bristol City could be key for doing so.
With Sheffield United’s three-goal advantage that they carry into the home tie, it could be a perfect opportunity to get some valuable minutes into Davies’ legs, whether that is from the start, or potentially at half time, if there is no sight of a potential Bristol City comeback.
It could also prove crucial if Wilder does rest either Sydie Peck or Gustavo Hamer, two players who he will need to ensure are fully ready for what looks like a potential play-off final on the horizon.