“We’re Ready” – Chris Wilder Previews Sheffield United vs Sunderland | OneFootball

Sheffield United head into Saturday’s Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium in better form and as slight favourites against Sunderland, but manager Chris Wilder knows just how difficult the task will be.

The Blades, who finished third in the regular season, just ten points shy of automatic promotion behind Leeds United and Burnley, come into the final in solid form, unbeaten in their last four games with three wins and three clean sheets. Wilder’s men cruised past Bristol City in the semi-finals, dispatching them 6-0 on aggregate with a pair of convincing 3-0 wins.

In contrast, Sunderland have stumbled into the final. The Black Cats managed only one win in their last seven matches and needed a dramatic late header from Daniel Ballard deep into extra-time to overcome Coventry City in the semi-finals. Defensive frailty has been a consistent issue, having failed to keep a clean sheet in their last seven games and conceding first in four of their last five.

Boyhood Blade Chris Wilder Can Lead Sheffield United to Historic Win on Saturday

For Chris Wilder, Saturday’s final represents far more than just a return to England’s top flight; it’s a personal milestone. As a boyhood Blade, Wilder is relishing the chance to lead his team out at Wembley.

“You talk about opportunities. Big opportunities give you a chance to make memories as well. So not only of course what’s attached to the game, from a financial point of view for the football club, of course it’s talked about heavily. But for me, the opportunity of going back to the premier league with our football club and for the players, playing against the best players in the world.”

He added: “It’s going to be a proud moment for anybody in my position. My history and connection with the football club, to lead the club out at Wembley Stadium in front of over 80,000 supporters, one of the biggest games in world football as people talk about, it’s a great honour, and privilege and responsibility. But I’ve got to do my job right, that’s first and foremost. And we’re here to win.”

Blades Have Proven Their Mental Fortitude Throughout the Season

LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 01: Chris Wilder, Sheffield United manager shakes hands with his players after the final whistle in the Sky Bet Championship match between Queens Park Rangers FC and Sheffield United FC at Loftus Road on March 01, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Wilder emphasised the importance of resetting after the disappointment of missing out on automatic promotion, referencing their defeat to Burnley as a turning point. Since then, he believes his team has responded with renewed focus.

“We’ve talked about the reset after the Burnley game which was really important. Giving players valuable minutes, resetting players physically, most importantly resetting mentally and they’ve been absolutely outstanding and delighted with the reaction that we’ve got from the Burnley game. I should imagine the narrative was a negative one and then you have to pile on the stuff that everybody locally and nationally talk about, our [poor] play-off record. But that’s not touched us one bit. Not a single ounce of that has gone into my thinking or the players’ thinking. They’re ultra positive, they’re focused. They’re excited as well, and they are really looking forward to the challenge of going to Wembley and hopefully getting that win that we were all after.”

This final also represents an historic disparity between the two teams with 14 points separating Sheffield United and Sunderland in the final league table, it is the largest ever gap between two Championship play-off finalists since the system was introduced.

Sheffield United Boss on What to Expect From the Black Cats

“If they sit in then we’re going to have to break them down. They’ve played against us at their place where we missed a penalty and we made a couple of mistakes and they punished us, and we pushed in the second half. I’ve talked about substitutions and you look at our bench that day, it was basically an under 21’s side so that had to be dealt with in January. And you look at our bench now, especially at the weekend, it will be a completely different one to the one that was on the 1st of January.

“The home game, I watched them play. They are a young side and they’ve got plenty of energy and they’ve got quality. They have threats all over the pitch because they wouldn’t have got the points that they’ve got if they weren’t a good side. But we have to execute our game plan with whatever is put in front of us.”

Wilder also acknowledged the emotional stakes of the game, referencing the recent FA Cup final as a reminder of the highs and lows of Wembley.

“Watching the FA Cup final last weekend, you saw the contrast [in emotion], with arguably the best team in the country over the past ten years against an outsider. The joy and the elation of Crystal Palace – we’ve got some connections there with Dean Henderson obviously, delighted for Dean – and then the pain and the disappointment that Manchester City felt. Even though they’ve won everything that’s to be won in European football and domestic football, it hurts and [Wembley Stadium] is not a place to lose.”

Wilder on United’s Preparation & the Shape of the Squad

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – JANUARY 24: Chris Wilder, Manager of Sheffield United, reacts during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield United FC and Hull City AFC at on January 24, 2025 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

For Sheffield United, promotion would mean an immediate return to the Premier League and a major financial boost under the new ownership. For Wilder, it would be the fulfillment of a dream by guiding his boyhood club back to the top-flight on English football’s greatest domestic stage. And Wilder has left no stone unturned in the build-up to the final.

“I know it’s been said by a lot of people but there is a lot of energy around this football club at the moment, and we have to take that into Saturday. But, we have to get the preparation right, we have to get the details right; that’s really important. The players might be bored of me saying it but everyone wants to win, but some want to win more than others – it’s about how you prepare for these situations. Physically we are in a good position as we have everybody available, which is fantastic news. Tactically we’ve got to find a way to get the job done, to execute the game plan.

“Technically we’ve got really good players, that’s the good thing about it, I’ve got a really good group of players that can produce big moments, that can keep clean sheets, that can play on the big stage and on big occasions. And the mentality has been really consistent. So I’m enjoying watching the players. I’m liking where they’re at, at the moment. There’s no guarantees of course but I don’t think we could have prepared any better, and we’re ready.”