Sheffield United Boss Full of Praise For Coventry City as Wilder Reveals he’s A “Big Fan” of Sky Blues Leader | OneFootball

Sheffield United host Frank Lampard’s Coventry City on Friday night. With the Blades getting their weekend started early, they have a great opportunity to climb to the top of the league and apply pressure on both Leeds United and Burnley in the race for automatic promotion.

Before the international break, Chris Wilder’s men responded well to their 3-1 defeat against Leeds United, going four games unbeaten. A highlight of this run was Rhian Brewster’s decisive goal in the Steel City derby, securing a vital 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

The Blades struggled in their most recent home game against Bristol City, ultimately conceding a late equaliser and dropping two crucial points in the process. With just eight games left in the season, every point is precious, and any slip-ups could be costly in the race for Premier League football.

Coventry City arrive at Bramall Lane in scintillating form, having won 10 of their last 12 Championship matches. Earlier in the season, the Sky Blues had been underperforming compared to their expected points tally, but they have now hit their stride at the perfect time. Currently pushing hard to secure a play-off spot, Lampard’s men could also have a huge say in the battle for automatic promotion, as they face both Sheffield United and Burnley back-to-back.

Sheffield United Speaks Highly of Coventry City Ahead of Blockbuster Battle at Bramall Lane

Speaking ahead of the game, Blades boss Chris Wilder acknowledged the strength of Coventry’s squad and the challenge they will pose: “Coventry City have got one of the best groups of players in this division and that’s being shown now. Strength in depth, the players they’ve got, and Frank’s come in and done what he needed to do and they’re absolutely steaming through everybody so we understand the challenges they bring. Fabulous away support and a real powerful football club. This is a major major test for us.”

Coventry’s recent resurgence has been overseen by Frank Lampard, and Wilder was full of praise for the former Chelsea and England midfielder. “I’ve got an enormous amount of respect for Frank Lampard. His playing career is there for everybody to see, but I just love the fact that he loves football and it just shines through what he does.

“He took a tough job at Derby and got them to the play-off final, we had a couple of great games with them that season. Tough gig at Chelsea when they didn’t sign any players. Tough gig at Everton. I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves, I honestly don’t. He could quite easily manage England in my opinion. I’m a big fan.”

Wilder highlighted the importance of enjoying the final stretch of the season, with the Blades in a strong position, currently level on points with league leaders Leeds United on 80 points. He said, “There’s a buoyancy around the place and there should be because we’re in a great position; winning games of football, and looking forward to the last eight games. We have to embrace it, enjoy it – staff, players, supporters – because there have been plenty of dark days in football, and this club has had a few over the years. When the sun shines, you’ve got to enjoy it.”

Frank Lampard on Blades clash

COVENTRY, ENGLAND – MARCH 15: Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard smiles with his players after the Sky Bet Championship match between Coventry City FC and Sunderland AFC at The Coventry Building Society Arena on March 15, 2025 in Coventry, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Lampard is under no illusions about the difficulty of facing Sheffield United, acknowledging the Blades’ experience and Wilder’s managerial ability. He told the media: “They’re all different games and it’s a different challenge against a side who have been up there all year, they look different to Sunderland. They have a lot of experience and Premier League experience. I know Chris [Wilder] well and how he motivates and manages, coaches his teams and they’re difficult to play against for a number of reasons.

“We have to take the challenge head on and be at our best, considering how tough it will be.”

The Coventry boss also emphasised the importance of the Sky Blues matching the form of their promotion rivals in recent months. He said: “This is the business part of the season and fortunately we have managed to compete with the form of Sheffield United, Leeds and Burnley since I’ve been in, particularly since the New Year.

“That’s a good thing for us, but it’s a challenge because they’ve been doing it all season, so we have to try and show where we’re at during this moment and understand the importance of the period of games we’re going into and be ready.”

He later added: “We have to be confident in ourselves and have a clear idea of how we want to approach the game, and we need to be confident and brave in how we play, but also understand the threats that they bring, which we’ve analysed, so we will approach the game as we see fit.”

Sheffield United versus Coventry City is perhaps the fixture of the weekend in the Championship, and with it being on ITV and Sky Sports on Friday evening, all eyes will be on this clash, particularly for those involved in the automatic promotion and play-off race.

Even a point at home will be enough to see the Blades climb to top spot, but three points to start off the weekend would certainly put the pressure on Leeds and Burnley on Saturday afternoon. On the flip side, a Coventry win could see the promotion race tip firmly in Leeds and Burnley’s favour.