50/50 Sheffield United call giving Chris Wilder a real headache right now | OneFootball

Harrison Burrows and Sam McCallum have competed for the left-back spot at Sheffield United this season

Both Harrison Burrows and Sam McCallum have competed for the left-back spot at Sheffield United this season, with neither having yet nailed down the position as their own.

It has been an interesting season for Sheffield United, to say the least.

Off the back of defeat in the play-off final to Sunderland last season, Chris Wilder was dismissed from his duties as head coach and replaced by former Reading and Hull City boss Ruben Selles.

But after just six games, all ending in defeat, the Spaniard was sacked, and the Blades were left with their tails between their legs as they re-appointed Wilder swiftly after.

Their form has seen an upturn since his return to Bramall Lane, with their most recent defeat to West Brom ending a five-game unbeaten run, leaving them 18th in the table after 21 games.

The Blades will no doubt still have ambitions of breaking into the top six this season, though they sit 11 points outside the play-off positions, but will take solace in the league being particularly close this campaign, especially in the upper echelons, and will fancy their chances.

Wilder must find consistency in his team selections to build the necessary chemistry and understanding on the pitch that was sorely lacking in the opening months of the season, with the left-back position in particular far from a clear-cut pick.

Chris Wilder has yet to decide on Harrison Burrows or Sam McCallum as the primary left-back at Sheffield United

Both Harrison Burrows and Sam McCallum have balanced minutes at left-back for Sheffield United this season, with neither being able to nail down the place as their own.

Burrows has made 20 league appearances this season, 12 of those being starts, whilst McCallum has made 14 league appearances this season, with only nine starts.

Burrows has just about earned the nod more often than McCallum at this stage, though the latter had clearly been second choice in the early stages of the campaign under Selles, and has only seen his game time increase since the return of Wilder.

Interestingly, both were signed in the summer of 2024, with both Ben Osborn and Max Lowe departing the club the same summer, whilst Rhys Norrington-Davies was out of favour.

Last season, Burrows was the preferred option more often than not, having signed for £3 million from Peterborough United. He made 43 appearances in the Championship for the Blades last campaign and proved to be an excellent piece of business in a consistent campaign.

The Englishman has yet to hit the heights of last season, with McCallum, who joined the Blades on a free transfer from Norwich City, proving to be a worthy competitor in that position.

Wilder has yet to make a decision on who his primary left-back option will be moving forward this season, with both making strong cases for the role.

Chris Wilder must make a decision in the 50/50 shout over Sheffield United's left-back situation

It would appear as though Wilder is beginning to settle on the side he will predominantly use at Sheffield United this campaign, moving from a back three formation to a back four, dropping Chiedozie Ogbene out of the starting 11 at wing-back and reintroducing Femi Seriki into the side at right-back.

The pairing of Japhet Tanganga with Ben Mee or Mark McGuiness looks like the most likely pairing moving forward this season, though there is the January transfer window where options may be moved around.

It's then down to the left-back spot, which is the most contentious position, and on the face of it, Burrows seems the most likely option to win the place in the side, but with him not hitting nearly the same levels as last season, it's not a sure thing.

Wilder has used both he and McCallum a lot during his time at the club, both this season and last, and still seemingly cannot decide between them.

Whilst rotation is completely understandable, given the amount of games the season throws at the clubs, Wilder must find some more consistency in his selection of the position to build consistency throughout his side.

If anyone can rescue Sheffield United's season, you'd put money on it being Wilder, though he simply must decide between Burrows and McCallum in the long haul if the Blades are to provide themselves with the best possible chances of clawing back a top six finish after a dismal start.