Sheffield United Boss on The Test of The Den as Wilder Heaps Praise on Neil Harris | OneFootball

The Blades travel to Millwall on Wednesday evening to mark the 63rd competitive meeting between the two teams.

Both sides have notched 26 wins in this fixture, but some Sheffield United fans may deem the Londoners as a bogey side given them winning three of the last four head-to-head Championship games.

Sheffield United fans often dread coming up against the Lions for one reason: Jake Cooper. The towering centre-back has notched five goals in his last eight league games against the Blades, with three of those coming in the final few minutes of the games. The travelling supporters can breathe a sigh of relief on Wednesday night because Cooper is still recovering from his knee injury.

Adding an extra layer of intrigue to this fixture, it was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that Neil Harris will step down as Millwall manager after their game against Middlesbrough on Saturday, meaning this game will be Harris’ final match at the Den as Millwall boss. With this in mind, the home side could be even more fired up than usual to try and get their manager one last win in front of the home supporters.

LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 06: Neil Harris, Manager of Millwall looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Millwall FC and Leeds United FC at The Den on November 06, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

Chris Wilder Previews Sheffield United Trip to Millwall

The Den is a tough place to go for anybody, and that doesn’t change even when you’re gunning for automatic promotion.

Chris Wilder has plenty of experience managing at the Den, and he spoke in his press conference about the test of the atmosphere and physical nature of the task at hand: “It really does test you and teams come unstuck there. The message to the younger players is ‘get ready’. We’ve talked to the senior players about it and they’ve got a role to educate the young players on what to expect.”

Wilder, meanwhile, is relishing that challenge. He admitted: “I think it suits my character. I’ve been to those places on my journey as a coach and manager where you have to roll your sleeves up and you understand what’s coming. I get it. I’m never disrespectful about Millwall and ultra positive about how they go about their business.”

He added: “Neil Harris is a great guy and a really good football manager. [For Millwall] to be up and around the top end against some big hitters is testament to the work they do and how together that club is. It’s a good club and it’s always a difficult place to go. But in a perverse sort of way, I always enjoy going there and having a look at my team because you always get asked a question at Millwall. You get tested on every front.”

A potential huge blow for the Blades however is the loss of Tyrese Campbell. The in-form striker, who has scored six goals in his last eight, has been dealing with a back injury. Wilder stated in his press conference: “We’ll give him as much time as possible to try and loosen that up. It’s a concern for us because he’s been outstanding so he’ll be a big miss if he doesn’t make it, but we’ve got another 24 hours to loosen that up”.