Sheffield United boss urges team to “show character and bravery” after losing tight game | OneFootball

Sheffield United endured another frustrating evening on the road as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday night. A late header from substitute Emmanuel Latte Lath sealed the win for Boro, leaving the Blades with back-to-back defeats.

United came close to taking the lead in the first half when Jesurun Rak-Sakyi showcased his dribbling skills inside the box, cutting past his marker and driving a shot towards the far bottom corner. However, a remarkable piece of defending from Luke Ayling on the goal line kept the score level, denying the visitors an early advantage.

The United gaffer admitted after the game: “I thought Jes did well tonight. We targeted their left-back and I thought he was good.”

In the second half, Blades manager Chris Wilder made a triple substitution, bringing on Rhys Norrington-Davies for Sam McCallum, Jamie Shackleton for Louie Peck, and Gustavo Hamer for Callum O’Hare. However, Hamer’s introduction was marred by a yellow card for delaying a free-kick, which now sees him suspended for the upcoming home fixture against Stoke City on Saturday.

The game remained tight, with both sides producing excellent last-ditch tackles to maintain the goalless scoreline. But with just ten minutes left on the clock, Middlesbrough found the breakthrough. Finn Azaz delivered a delicate lofted ball into the box, which Latte Lath met with a powerful header into the bottom right corner, securing the win for Boro.

Middlesbrough’s Ben Doak was a constant threat down the left side of Sheffield United, beating Sam McCallum on multiple occasions.

Sheffield United manager expresses his thoughts after losing back-to-back games

Following the match, speaking to SUTV, Wilder reflected on the tight nature of the contest and the small margins that have cost his side recently.

“I thought it was a game between two quality teams,” Wilder said. “We’ve had some great opportunities, played some decent stuff, and defended when we had to. But one lapse, where we let the player get between our centre-half and full-back, and they found the pass and the header. They win a tight game by small margins.”

He continued, “I’ve said to the players, a 70th-minute set-play at Leeds and tonight an 82nd-minute winner: that’s how close it is. We’re just a little bit off it at the moment, and we need to get back on it pretty quickly.”

Wilder acknowledged that the recent defeats would test the team’s spirit but emphasised the importance of character as they head into their next match against Stoke City.

“We have to take [the loss] on the chin and test our spirit,” he said. “When you’re winning and unbeaten, it’s easy to fall back on team spirit. Now, with more pressure on us for Saturday’s game, we have to show the character, bravery, and personality to put this behind us and focus on getting the result.”

The Blades will attempt to get back to winning ways without Gustavo Hamer, who will serve a one-match suspension for an accumulation of bookings. On a positive note, Vinicius Souza is available for selection again after serving his suspension.