Exclusive: Don Goodman drops exciting Sheffield United play-offs claim | OneFootball

Don Goodman has spoken on the Blades' chances during the upcoming Championship play-offs.

Sheffield United must settle for a place in the Championship play-offs after Leeds United and Burnley secured automatic promotion with two games to spare.

The Blades' defeat at Turf Moor on Easter Monday confirmed their fate, and Chris Wilder's priority now must be to galvanise his squad so they can recreate the kind of form they produced on a consistent basis earlier in the season between now and the end of the campaign.

It is difficult to argue that Sheffield United deserved to achieve automatic promotion considering they were beaten home and away by both Leeds and Burnley, so they will need to produce better performances in big games during the play-offs if they are going to make a return to the Premier League.

Wilder has won promotion from every division in the EFL, although he has never done it via the play-offs. However, he did take Oxford United into the Football League with victory in a play-off final at Wembley in 2010, so he will hope that he can recreate that success in the Championship play-off final this time around.

Don Goodman backs Blades to win play-offs

Sky Sports pundit, Don Goodman, spoke exclusively to Football League World about how difficult it will be for Wilder to motivate his players for a play-off battle following their disappointing end to the regular season.

"Chris has got a huge job on - Chris Wilder, obviously," Goodman said.

"I listened to his post-match interview after the Burnley game. The disappointment is clear - they lost four of the previous five games. I think losing away to Burnley is not a huge shock for everybody, but it was the other three, wasn't it, really - Oxford, Millwall and Plymouth.

"They have got to get over the disappointment of those losses, really. They happened in the space of a week, and they went into that week top of the table.

"It is all about psychology. I think Chris will be able to point out to this young, new team that they have broken club records for all kinds of things at this stage of the season in terms of wins, clean sheets, defensive record - they had nine home games in a row that they won without conceding - so there are so many positives.

"If they can focus on them, clear their minds and get over the disappointment, I would back them to probably be the best team and ultimately win the play-offs. However, it sounds easy, doesn't it, and it won't be easy, but that is what they are going to have to do."

Sheffield United must ignore play-off history

If Sheffield United win the play-offs this season, it will be the first time that the club has ever been promoted via that route.

The Blades have been unsuccessful in each of their eight play-off campaigns to date, with five of those being failed attempts at winning promotion to the top flight.

Chris Wilder will no doubt be aware of his club's poor record in the play-offs, but he is no stranger to breaking new ground as manager of Sheffield United, so he must ensure that his players ignore what has happened in the past and inspire them to make history.