Chris Wilder was livid with Coventry for betraying Mark Robins, now Sheffield United must punish his old friend

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It was a bad start to the week for both Chris Wilder and Mark Robins, as their teams fell to crushing defeats, and the old friends will be desperate to get back on track on Friday night.

Sheffield United saw their automatic promotion hopes killed off once and for all with defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor on Monday.

Chris Wilder took the defeat well, all things considered, and he now has to focus on steering the Blades through the play-offs, which is not ideal.

Stoke City, meanwhile, succumbed to a massive 6-0 defeat at Leeds United, prompting Mark Robins to suggest the Potters are not safe from relegation just yet.

• READ MORE: Chris Wilder slams Burnley security as tempers flare at Turf Moor after Sheffield United defeat

What Chris Wilder said about Coventry City’s treatment of Mark Robins

Mark Robins suffered a harsh fate earlier this season when he was sacked by Coventry City after seven years in charge. That was his second spell with the Sky Blues, and yet all that loyalty was rewarded with dismissal at the first sign of trouble.

Chris Wilder faced Coventry not long after, and the Blades were held to a 2-2 draw by a far more resilient and dogged Sky Blues side, which prompted an angry response from the Sheffield United manager.

Speaking to the press after that game, Wilder said: “It was always going to be a tough game and I think if you look at the players and the composition of the opposition, I do believe it’s top five, top six. From a statistical point of view they have been under performing so we knew today would be a challenge.

“We knew the challenge of somebody potentially taking over, whether they were there today or not… I might be wrong but it’s a big football club and I stand by what I said about Mark [Robins], who did an incredible job.

“Maybe if [the players] had run around more like that before their manager might still be in a job. Whether I am being controversial about it, we knew, and maybe it’s just human nature that they would run around a little bit more today, which they did.”

Since then, of course, Frank Lampard has come in and proven Wilder absolutely right, by guiding Coventry to the top six and the cusp of a play-off place.

• READ MORE: TalkSPORT pundit makes damning claim about Middlesbrough, Coventry City and more amid promotion race

Sheffield United have to bounce back before the play-offs

Wilder has previously spoken about the close relationship he and Robins share, particularly from the latter’s time in charge of Rotherham just down the road from Sheffield United years ago.

Now, Wilder must put friendships aside on Friday night to punish a Stoke City side looking over their shoulders at the Championship relegation battle.

Sheffield United’s play-off record is dire, but given the strength of the team and the level they’ve reached this season, this could well be the year to change that.

The Blades could reach a big points tally, but facts and figures won’t make a difference in the play-offs. All that matters is momentum, and United are in desperate need of that right now.