Chris Wilder hits back at Miron Muslic’s “nonsense” claim made ahead of Plymouth v Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon.
Wilder dismissed Muslic saying pressure is mounting on the Blades, with Wilder saying that his squad has been handling expectations all season, shrugging off the idea that they’re cracking under the strain.
Meanwhile, Plymouth’s manager predicted a win for his side, citing their potential to deliver a strong performance despite their precarious position at the bottom of the Championship table.
Both teams are desperate for points — Sheffield United to stay in the promotion hunt, Plymouth to avoid relegation.
Around 7 minutes in Wilder talks about Muslic’s comments…
🗣️ “I’ve had to deal with it for a 1000 games. Are you picking the right team? Are you playing the right tactics? I’ve wrestled with it for 25 years.”
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder on team selection, Plymouth Argyle and winning Championship Manager of the Month.#SUFC pic.twitter.com/fAEsatCNHA
— Football Heaven (@footballheaven) April 11, 2025
Wilder said, per The Star: “We’ve dealt with that since the first day of the season.
“The message is: ‘Let’s be a bit more calmer and controlled in our manner.’
“The first goal in games is huge, and it’s disappointing we’ve allowed both teams to get it in the last two games and then sit in and counter.
“It’s important that we go and get the first goal and there are other certain things, too. We have to be better in our final run, pass, cross and finish. And defensively to avoid some poor goals too.”
His side have suffered back-to-back defeats at Oxford United and at home to Millwall.
Argyle are also in need of points, five points adrift of safety with boss Muslic saying earlier this week: “I think we’re going to win this game, because our boys will surprise us again with a good and strong performance.
“It would actually fit the pattern of here, nowhere, and again here. So why not?
“We have to win against Sheffield United. I know the difficulties of this task but it’s possible. Millwall showed this.
“There is also pressure for them. Our Argyle shirts will have it but also the shirts from Sheffield United, so why not?”
Muslic said Sheffield United are feeling more pressure than his side, Wilder hit back: “They’re bottom of the league for a reason.
“But they can be dangerous opposition, as showed last week when they beat Norwich City. It’s a game we should be expected to win and I listened to a bit of nonsense from their manager about pressure. The pressure’s always on Sheffield United.
“It has been since the first day of pre-season and we’ve got 85 points. We’re not crumbling because of the pressure situation. We didn’t get a result at Oxford because we were off the pace and didn’t take the big moments v Millwall.
“If we play like that I think we’ll win the game and it’s bigger pressure trying to stay in the division. There’s pressure from ourselves and the size of the club and those boys have handled that brilliantly.”
Muslic said of defeat to Swansea in midweek, per Plymouth Live: “It’s very tough because just 48 hours before we managed to have a very clean performance to reward ourselves with a strong victory, a strong three points, but that’s a pattern. Every time we have the opportunity to get closer, every time we have the opportunity to make a big, big step we can’t. We simply can’t.
“It was Cardiff at home, it was Derby, it was Sheffield Wednesday, Hull away. The same patterns. Every time we are closer, every time we prepare everything to make the next step after wins, after good performances, we simply disappear.
“We concede the first goal after four minutes. Forty-five seconds before that goal we have a free-kick on the mid line. We play the ball lateral back into the feet of the number nine of Swansea. Thirty seconds later you concede a goal. How are you going to prevent this?
“The second goal, I think it’s a free-kick (for Argyle). Out of this free-kick Swansea clears the ball. We have two players on the mid line. On the ball. We can’t clear this and then we make just an absolutely unnecessary foul on the edge of the box. Out of this you are two-zero down. How to prevent this?
“That’s why I’m very, very disappointed and that’s exactly why we are in the situation where we are. We simply can’t perform consistently like every other team.
“Derby can manage to win four games in a row, Hull City can win three in a row. Cardiff can win games. Every opponent is capable of realising the importance of the moment and go fully. Every time we have the chance to do this we simply give it away. That’s how it is.
“It’s getting even tougher now, but we had the same pressure last week against Norwich and we did it well but, again, every time we can get really close, we can set a tone and put an example, we are failing, and that’s a pattern of the last season, that’s a pattern of almost the last two years.
“I think our team is capable to deliver a top performance on Saturday, like we did against Norwich, but it’s not enough from time to time to deliver. We are in a situation we have consistently to deliver and grab points, and that’s the biggest step for us. It seems like we are just not capable of it.”
Chris Wilder gave a Sheffield United selection hint after fan criticism, saying per The Star: “It’s the hardest job. It’s a pertinent question and it’s one managers have to deal with it all the time. I’ve dealt with it for 1,000 games. Tactics, changes, team selection. We’re on 85 points.
“We always look and think. There’s a lot of thought that goes into it, tactically and physically and freshening it up in a three-game week. Who’s in form, who’s not in form? I’ve wrestled with it for the last 25 years and won’t wrestle with it for the next 25 years. Maybe for the next five.
“If we’d kept the same team and won [v Millwall], which we could quite easily have done with the chances we created, then no-one would be saying anything. So it’s just what you have to deal with as a manager. I’ve always thought we’ll have to shuffle the pack but I thought it was right to give them the chance to go again.
“You can allow yourself one day where you don’t play very well, which we owned, and we played better on Tuesday. But the result was the same so we have to accept that. It’s the biggest thing, when we pick the team. Have we picked the right one?
“We felt we did. Is there a need to freshen it up? Most probably. I’m not going to give my team away but it was always going to be the case in a three-game week, whether that was Tuesday or Saturday dinnertime.”
Twitter users reacted as Chris Wilder hits back at Miron Muslic’s “nonsense” claim ahead of Plymouth v Sheffield United…
@jamesmoorelufc: Chris Wilder taking shots at Plymouth manager – you know what to do Miron!
@KMC_1889: Sure this won’t bite us not the arse by Sunday. Can’t help himself can he.
@foreverayellow: massive game for both sides, a win for plymouth (and hope results go their way) boosts survival hopes and see sheffield united continue to bottle it, a win for sheffield united (and results go their way) could see them jump up to the top from 3rd
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