It is too simplistic to call it a “turning point” but Sheffield United’s reaction to the toughest period of their season showed exactly why they are still in the hunt for the Premier League at this stage. The Blades face title rivals Leeds United on Monday evening, sparking memories of the return leg between the two sides last year at Elland Road.The Blades had been rocked by the recent death of former defender George Baldock and were second-best on the night, even if it took 69 minutes for Leeds to find a way past them from a set-piece. United, unbeaten before that game, then lost their next game away at Middlesbrough and the talk amongst sections of the fanbase was that the wheels had very much fallen off.But what happened next was remarkable, the Blades roaring back to win six of their next seven games and 10 of their next 12, with battling draws at Coventry and West Brom in other two. United’s response to disappointment has been an impressive hallmark of their season to date, showing why they go into the weekend second in the table rather than in and amongst a bunch of inconsistent teams scrapping for a play-off place.Sixth-placed West Brom are closer to bottom-placed Luton than they are the Blades in second, in terms of points, and United – who responded to defeat at Sunderland on New Year’s Day with seven wins in their last eight league games – are on course to go close to the magic 100 mark if they keep up their current form between now and the end of the season. “I’ve always said it would be about how we handle disappointment,” Wilder said, “and that includes me. How do we recover?
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