Is Kyle Walker the greatest Sheffield-born footballer of all time? Chris Wilder thinks so

A city whose footballing history takes in the world's oldest football club, Sheffield FC, formed in 1857, and which a year later produced the first detailed set of rules of the game published by a football club has a long and proud tradition in the sport.

England's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks, Championship all-time top goalscorer Billy Sharp, the spearhead of the Premier League's least likely title win, Jamie Vardy, striker Derek Dooley, who served both Wednesday and United, and European Championship finalist Harry Maguire all hail from the Steel City.

But in the eyes of Wilder, a Sheffield-born Blades fan who has played for and managed the Bramall Lane club, no one tops Manchester City captain Walker.

The 33-year-old is arguably the world's best right-back and his club is undeniably its best team, which just underlines what Sheffield United will be facing at Eastlands on Saturday, even with City missing other world stars like John Stones, Kevin de Bruyne and Leeds-born Erling Haaland through injury.

"We talk as pals and I don't think I'm being controversial in saying he's by far the best player ever to have come out of this city now in what he's achieved,” said Wilder.

"There's been some good players represent United and Wednesday, and some other good players who have represented other clubs having been born in the city, but Kyle Walker for me is the best footballer that's come out of Sheffield.

"We can take a small part in his development early on."

Walker has won the European Cup, Premier League, FA Cup, European Super Cup and Club World Cup this year to add to nine other previous honours picked up in his six years in the north west.

Bobby Moore, Ashley Cole, Billy Wright and Kenny Samson are the only defenders to have won more than his 81 England caps, and if he stays fit, Walker will almost certainly overtake the latter in 2024.

He has played in the semi-finals of the World Cup and Nations League, and was alongside Maguire – another recent Blades academy product – in the side which lost a penalty shoot-out to Italy in the European Championship final two-and-a-half years ago.

His importance to England, even though he plays in their strongest position, is such that manager Gareth Southgate has twice talked him out of international retirement, desperate to keep his searing pace and reading of the game.

Walker joined Sheffield United as a seven-year-old but made only seven senior appearances for the club – the last at Wembley in the 2009 Championship play-off final two days after his 19th birthday – before Tottenham Hotspur recognised his talent and paid a combined £9m for Walker and Kyle Naughton. He joined Manchester City in 2017.

City are not the only team with key players missing on Saturday afternoon. Stand-in Blades captain Anel Ahmedhodzic and creative midfielder Gustavo Hamer are suspended and James McAtee ineligible because he is on loan from the world champions.

Chris Basham, John Egan and Tom Davies are injured and Daniel Jebbison recovering from illness.

The Blades have recalled Oliver Arblaster from a loan at Port Vale, but a knee injury is expected to keep him out for four to six weeks.