Sheffield United owners under serious pressure - only one outcome feels inevitable now | OneFootball

It's been a truly horrid first month in charge at Sheffield United for Ruben Selles

Ruben Selles' first month in the Bramall Lane dugout couldn't have gone any worse.

The new Sheffield United boss, who replaced the beloved Chris Wilder after he was controversially relieved of his duties following a season where the Blades picked up 92 points on the field and fell just short of promotion through the play-offs, has started the new campaign with five straight defeats in all competitions.

Four of those defeats have come in the league, as Sheffield United enter the first international break rock bottom of the Championship as the only side yet to pick up a single point.

Last season, it took until New Year's Day for the Blades to lose their fourth league game under Wilder. This season, it's happened in record time, and the Sheffield United owners are under real scrutiny to address this situation.

It was a big risk to sack a manager as well-respected as Wilder, and so far, it's not paying off at all.

Sheffield United's terrible start to the season

Sheffield United began the 2025/26 campaign poorly, being well-beaten 4-1 at Bramall Lane against Bristol City, the side the Blades had beaten by a record aggregate scoreline in the play-off semi-finals just three months earlier.

Since then, the Blades were knocked out of the EFL Cup at the first hurdle against Birmingham City, before completing a hat-trick of 1-0 defeats in the league against Swansea City, Millwall and Middlesbrough.

On the basis of things, you could look at four consecutive defeats by a one-goal margin as unlucky, but the Blades have been second-best in all four of those matches.

Birmingham beat them 20-5 in the shot count, Swansea 13-8, and Middlesbrough 15-8. They put up more of a fight against Millwall, taking 14 shots to the Lions' 17, but were still unable to truly take the game to their opposition in front of their home fans.

Defensively, it's been leaky, but going forward, the Blades haven't been able to capitalise on the few chances that they are creating. They've scored twice all season in all competitions, and one of those goals was a moment of magic from Gustavo Hamer when he scored from the halfway line against Birmingham.

Usually, a manager would be given a little more time in this situation to turn things around, but Blades fans are already growing impatient with Selles, and his future looks incredibly bleak.

Ruben Selles risk isn't paying off for Sheffield United owners

Whoever followed Chris Wilder was always going to have a difficult task on their hands, as the Stocksbridge-born boss and lifelong Blades fan is heralded as a hero in the red side of Sheffield.

Even if Selles came in and transformed the side, playing incredible football and picking up points, there'd likely be some Sheffield United fans still questioning why Wilder was let go, especially given the decision was made after a season which should have seen the Blades promoted, if not for two centenary sides.

But performances on the pitch have just compounded that disappointment and frustration of the Sheffield United fans, as the former Hull City boss has not started well at all.

More defensive reinforcements were brought to Bramall Lane on deadline day, so you get the feeling that the ownership group at the club are willing to back Selles for a little longer past this current international break.

But Selles is skating on thin ice, and a failure to see an immediate upturn in results, starting with their next league game against Ipswich Town in just under a fortnight's time, will see the end of the Spaniard's short tenure in the Sheffield United dugout.