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Chris Wilder must rethink his stance heading into the Premier League after his quotes in The Mirror suggested that he isn’t willing to adapt his style for the top flight.

The Blades have been promoted twice in three years playing an attractive brand of attacking football, but that style may have to change when they come up against some of the most talented squads this country has ever seen.

Wilder’s comments

Speaking to The Mirror, Wilder seemed very set in his ways, saying:

“The expectation level will be a little bit lower now.

“Nothing will really change in terms of the way we prepare the players.”

He went on to say that the team will “approach every game the same,” adding that their “philosophy, method and structure won’t change.”

Can’t have this approach

Sheffield United can’t afford to have this all guns blazing approach in the Premier League that they had in the lower leagues.

For Wilder to say "when we are 5-0 down after 20 minutes to Man City, I might have my head in my hands," shows that he is aware of the faults in his system, but he seems willing to allow his stubbornness to scupper results.

Although the top six seem unbeatable at times, the points that the lower teams pick up against them are often the difference between relegation and survival.

Brighton proved that this season. The Seagulls stayed up by just two points, and the five points they picked up against Arsenal and Man United proved to be decisive.

The 51-year-old seems to have already written off his side's chances against the Premier League's top dogs, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Wilder should move away from his patented 5-2-1-2 system with overlapping centre-backs when he comes up against the top sides. He should instead revert to a system more akin to the one he used when he was Northampton boss.

During his time at Sixfields, he utilised a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 which was much more rigid and disciplined than the formation he currently uses at Bramall Lane.

This tactic proved to be just as effective as his the one he employs with his current team, as he got the Cobblers promoted from League Two with 99 points.

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Wilder should think about bringing back this tactic when the Blades face off against one of the top six, as it is much more suited to playing against the best teams in the Premier League than his current system, which could come unstuck against more talented opposition.