Is Luton Town away a must-win game for Sheffield United? Chris Wilder gives his verdict

The Blades are rooted to the foot of the Premier League table, 10 points from safety and low on morale following a 5-0 drubbing by Aston Villa last Saturday teatime at Bramall Lane.

Their plight of seven games without a win contrasts sharply with that of Luton’s, the Hatters picking up three Premier League wins – including a priceless one at the Lane on Boxing Day – and two draws in that space of time.

Should the Blades slip to a sixth defeat in eight league matches they would fall 13 points behind the Hatters.

Asked if that made it a ‘must-win’ game, Wilder – mindful not to add too much pressure to a squad devoid of confidence – said: “We’ve talked about this right the way through and I should imagine people do look at the table – we’ve tried not to.

“We’ve tried to focus on the next game in front of us, which is Saturday against an in-form team, who are doing fabulously well.

“So the narrative will be how well they’re doing as a promoted side and how poor we are at the moment.

“We’ve got to understand that and we’ve got to accept it.”

United’s poor run of form – they have won just once in Wilder’s 10 Premier League games in charge since he succeeded Paul Heckingbottom – has turned the microscope on their predicament.

Not many pundits casting an eye over the richest league in the world give them much chance of avoiding relegation come May.

“You have to accept in the position we’re in that there’s going to be an opinion on you,” said Wilder.

“And you have to take that on the chin because there’s no hiding place in the Premier League.

“It’s streamed and gets broadcast worldwide and everything that goes with it. We all enjoy being part of it.

“The downside of it is when you’re not doing as well as you want to do, then you have to receive that criticism, which we will receive and I will receive that fully. We have to try and turn that into a positive.”

One positive would be a victory at Kenilworth Road which would cut the gap to the Hatters in 17th place to seven points – an opportunity that at least offers Wilder’s team a motivation on Saturday.

What is also a possibility is a first away win of the Premier League season, but they will have to shore up a defence that has conceded eight goals the last two games, while Rob Edwards’ Luton were scoring eight.

“We’ve got to do a lot of things right and we’ve got to do a lot of things better than we did last Saturday,” said Wilder, pictured.

“Defensively we were open. We didn’t get the fundamentals right. I’ve got to say as well though, there was some incredible movement, passes and finishes from Aston Villa.

“Outside the Premier League, they don’t find that pass or they don’t find that finish, but they do in the Premier League and very quickly the game can get taken away from you.

“There are no downsides to winning a game of football, but it’s no good me saying it.”

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