“A Little Bit Longer to Make Those Decisions” – Wilder Makes Growing Confidence Admission Ahead of Boxing Day Trip | OneFootball

Sheffield United will take a long trip to Wales on Boxing Day as they face Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham in what promises to be a physically demanding contest.

The hosts come into the fixture on a difficult run of form. Wrexham are winless in their last five matches, with their most recent outing ending in a 2-1 defeat away at Swansea City. Defensive issues have played their part in that slump, with Parkinson’s side failing to keep a clean sheet during that spell.

Sheffield United’s Form & Injury News

United, by contrast, arrive with confidence growing. The Blades dismantled ten-man Birmingham City 3-0 at Bramall Lane last weekend, a scoreline that arguably flattered the visitors given Sheffield United’s dominance. That victory has moved Chris Wilder’s side seven points clear of the drop zone, while still leaving them nine points adrift of the top six.

Chiedozie Ogbene and Tom Davies remain under close monitoring with neither ready to get back in the matchday squad yet, while Sydie Peck is also in the same predicament with a calf issue. Ben Mee is expected to be managed carefully, particularly given the impressive recent partnership of Tyler Bindon and Japhet Tanganga at the heart of defence.

Stylistically, this has the makings of a gruelling Boxing Day encounter, with Wrexham likely to make it physical and competitive.

Blades Boss Explains United’s “Growing Confidence”

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)

The renewed sharpness in front of goal has not gone unnoticed by Chris Wilder, who believes belief has been the key ingredient behind the recent upturn in form, with four wins out of their last six matches.

“You see confidence growing into the team, belief growing into the team and they are executing those situations, and it is obviously key to changing outcomes of games,” Wilder told SUTV.

“Players that we have got in the building obviously have produced that at their other clubs and have produced it here in the time that they have been here. We know that. We want to dominate games, we want to control games.

“We have had that opportunity and still the old adage from my point of view, what happens in both boxes, at the top of the pitch we have been pretty good, and on the other side of it, we have to be good as well to gain the results that we have got recently.

“We have got the quality, but when things aren’t going well and we are under pressure and not getting the results and the team is a bit disjointed, as it was at the start of the season, then confidence and belief suffer. You take that extra touch, you take a little bit longer to make those decisions. Now, those moments are coming again. Performance is results.”

If Sheffield United can carry their recent belief with them to Wales, Boxing Day could provide another important step forward in their season as we approach the turn of the new year.