Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder expressed his satisfaction with how his team managed to secure a 3-1 victory over Oxford United despite the absence of striker Patrick Bamford, who was sidelined due to an injury sustained in training. Speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield, Wilder stated:
“It was unfortunate for Pat to pick up a knock in training. While it’s disappointing, we train in a competitive manner, and unfortunately, that left him unavailable for tonight’s match.
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“Losing Pat yesterday is a significant setback for us, and he might be out for a couple of weeks, which affects our ability to play a more direct style that we would have liked to implement.
“There wasn’t a lot of space during the match, but the team remained composed and didn’t let frustration set in. I was really impressed with their maturity and patience.
“Overall, it was a fairly comfortable game, aside from the first 15-20 minutes.
“It was clear how they chose to approach the game, attempting to slow it down at every opportunity. That’s understandable, considering they operate at a different level than us. They are a solid club and are battling hard.
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“Midweek matches can be tricky, so it was crucial for us to deliver a strong performance and achieve a positive result, which we did. This is a significant win for us.
“The games against Middlesbrough, Coventry, Ipswich, Birmingham, and Stoke will take care of themselves. It’s vital that we secure these matches.
“We continued to do the right things, and I was thrilled with everyone’s contribution, including the support from our fans.”