Sheffield United Boss Pleased About “Getting A Response” Against Birmingham City | OneFootball

Sheffield United put ten-man Birmingham City to the sword with a commanding 3-0 victory at Bramall Lane on Saturday afternoon.

The Blades set the tone early and were rewarded with a deserved breakthrough. Gustavo Hamer’s inswinging corner from the right was met by Tyler Bindon, who rose completely unchallenged to power a header beyond the helpless Allsop and give United an early lead.

The contest swung decisively on 18 minutes in front of the dugouts. Former United loanee Tommy Doyle flew into an ill-judged challenge on Hamer, taking the midfielder out and leaving the referee with little choice but to produce a red card. From that moment on, Birmingham faced an uphill battle.

United made their numerical advantage count almost immediately. A loose attempt by Anderson to roll the ball back to Allsop was pounced upon by the ever-alert Hamer, who anticipated the danger, nicked in ahead of the goalkeeper and lashed a finish into the net from a tight angle to make it 2-0.

Any lingering doubt was removed early in the second half. Oliver Arblaster’s effort found its way through a crowded box and was deflected home from close range by Patrick Bamford, who appeared to be in an offside position, to make it three with plenty of time still to play.

From there, United controlled proceedings professionally, keeping their shape, maintaining intensity and denying Birmingham any route back into the contest. The clean sheet capped off a dominant afternoon.

The result lifts Sheffield United to seven points clear of the relegation zone and leaves them just nine points adrift of the top six, breathing fresh optimism into their campaign as we approach 2026.

Chris Wilder on Sheffield United “Response” Against Birmingham City

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 20: Patrick Bamford of Sheffield United celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s third goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield United and Birmingham City at Bramall Lane on December 20, 2025 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)

Speaking to SUTV after the match, United boss Chris Wilder praised both the performance and the mentality of his players.

It’s not about me wanting a response, it was about them wanting a response from themselves, within. The narrative all week was a strong one; Friday night was unacceptable and I didn’t enjoy it at all.

“The players had an opportunity to put it right and they did. The start was great, the intensity of our play. The press we got absolutely spot on. We smothered them and didn’t allow them to get a foothold in the game.

“Maybe the frustration of that was the reason that Tommy got sent off. Yes of course it was an easier afternoon with 11 v 10, but still delighted with the way we approached it. We didn’t give them any opportunities. It was a really good afternoon.”

Blades Boss Pleased With Second Half Performance Against Ten Men

Wilder was particularly pleased with how his side handled the second half against a stubborn, deep block from the Birmingham team.

“Second half we didn’t shortcut anything. Recovery runs were good, forward runs were good, our play was good against a team that rightly sat in. We didn’t give them any opportunities.

“Sometimes you get a little bit loose and take a chance and you don’t make that recovery run or make good decisions. I thought it was a really good afternoon and a good challenge to play against 10 and keep a clean sheet and create opportunities.”

Reiterating his post-match message, Wilder was clear that standards had been restored.

“It’s not about me getting a response, it’s about them wanting a response for themselves within and taking care of it from their point of view. Friday night was unacceptable, the supporters didn’t enjoy it and neither did I.

“Whether it’s a pre-season game or a play-off final, it’s full-tilt. That wasn’t the case before, and I’m not going to accept it or spin it. Today was us again.”

Sheffield United cannot afford to rest and admire their excellent performance however, with an away trip to Wrexham looming large on Boxing Day.