Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder believes the Blades can cause any team problems, despite having lost their last two Championship matches.

The South Yorkshiremen were beaten 1-0 at Southampton on Wednesday and by the same scoreline at Charlton last Saturday having been reduced to nine men before half-time.

Prior to that, they were beaten 4-3 at home in the FA Cup by Mansfield with their only positive result in 2026 their 3-1 victory over Leicester at Bramall Lane on New Year’s Day.

“We’re off the back of a two-game losing streak and the negativity will be there, which I get because that's what happens,” Wilder said at his pre-match press conference.

“We’re the only ones that can affect it, but we don’t feel that we’re playing like a team that’s in the position that we are.

“We feel that we can pose any team problems. Huge amount of respect for [Town boss] Kieran [McKenna]. What he’s done in his time is an incredible achievement. What he’s done at a real positive football club.

“They’ve got some good players. They had a go in the Premier League last year. They’ve had a slow start but picking up speed. I’m just a bit jealous that we’re not in and amongst them. We have to deal with that situation.”

Wilder feels the afternoon is set up perfectly: “I think there’ll be mutual respect from them towards us and certainly from me towards Kieran and his Ipswich Town team. I think it’s a great game for us. I think we could have had loads worse games.

“I think the game takes care of itself. They’ll come to win, we'll go to win. Full house at Bramall Lane or pretty much close. Great atmosphere. Our supporters always turn up on days like this.

“I see a drive from the players to get something out of the game that maybe we should have done on Saturday and Wednesday night.

“We’ve got to produce that second-half performance we did at Southampton, which was full of energy and belief. Good chances created. If we do, this game could go either way.”

The Blades will be without skipper and Japhet Tanganga and midfielder Djibril Soumare who were both sent off against the Addicks.

New Zealand international centre-half Tyler Bindon has been ruled out due to illness, while midfielder Jairo Riedewald will also be absent with a hamstring injury.

Former Blues loanees Ben Godfrey and Louie Barry have returned to their parent clubs, Atalanta and Aston Villa respectively, having spent the first half of the season on loan at Bramall Lane. Godfrey has subsequently moved on to Brondby in Denmark on another loan.

Swedish international centre-back Nils Zatterstrom has joined Genoa in Serie A on loan having signed from Malmo last summer.

Wolves right-back Ki-Jana Hoever joined the Blades on loan earlier in the transfer window.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters