Sheffield United Boss Warns of “Difficult Opponent” as Blades Take on Unpredictable Pompey | OneFootball

Sheffield United host a Portsmouth side teetering just three points above the drop zone as they prepare for this crucial Saturday afternoon Championship clash at Bramall Lane. The Blades are looking to build momentum after a bounce-back win against Derby County.

After a shock home defeat to Hull City, Sheffield United responded with a hard-fought victory away at Derby County last weekend. Currently third in the league and level on points with second-place Burnley, the Blades have the opportunity to move back into the automatic promotion places, since Burnley are occupied with FA Cup action. A single point against Portsmouth would see United leapfrog their promotion rivals.

Chris Wilder’s men will be eager to capitalise on this opportunity, especially with Gustavo Hamer returning from suspension. Wilder is also close to welcoming back Tom Davies, Femi Seriki, and Kieffer Moore, though their returns will come over the next few weeks.

Portsmouth’s start to 2025 has been anything but consistent. Their 4-0 New Year’s Day victory over Swansea City seemed to signal a strong push, but their results since then have been unpredictable. They have secured wins against Middlesbrough and Stoke City but have suffered heavy defeats to Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion, followed by a narrow loss to Millwall and a goalless draw with Burnley.

Sheffield United Manager Previews Portsmouth Clash

Wilder addressed the media ahead of the fixture, discussing Portsmouth’s unpredictability and the challenges his team will face.

“We’ve watched their games, and people talk about their away form versus their home form. I know John [Mousinho] was disappointed not to beat Burnley. They’re an honest group with character and experience, and they had an excellent January transfer window. It’s always tough in your first season back in the Championship, but they’ll be a difficult opponent.”

Chris Wilder on United’s January Recruits

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – JANUARY 24: Thomas Cannon 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)

The Blades boss also touched on the signing of Tom Cannon, with the striker contributing with an assist in United’s 1-0 victory against the Rams last weekend. With his reported £10m transfer fee, there is great expectations surrounding the striker.

“He’s had one training session with us before Hull, so expecting him to hit the ground running straight away is unrealistic. But his work ethic and attitude are fantastic. We signed him for a reason, and there’s plenty of work going on to integrate him into the team. He was involved in the goal against Derby, which is a good start,” Wilder said.

“Off the ball his work is excellent. His work ethic, his attitude, his characteristics. His outliers that attracted us to him and going on data as well, in terms of what we required, he ticked all the boxes. There’s pressure on him to score goals and we want him to score goals but we want him to be in a winning team, and he played a part in the win on Saturday with a great turn and cross for Ben [Brereton Diaz]. I’d rather us achieve what we want to achieve and Tom scores five than Tom scores 15 and us being in this division next year.”

Meanwhile, experienced defender Rob Holding is also available after completing his fitness assessments. “He’s fine, he’ll be involved on Saturday. We spoke to Crystal Palace and checked his conditioning, and he’s been training at a high level. He’ll only improve from here.”

However, Jefferson Caceres and Christian Nwachukwu are still undergoing medical checks and work permit processes before they can be integrated into the squad. Wilder claimed: “It’s a tough ask for any player to come into the country and hit the ground running, so we’re not expecting them to hit the ground running. But if we get some sort of involvement from them between now and the end of the season that’s a bonus for me and a bonus for them.”