Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has urged his players to prove their critics wrong after being written off in the Championship promotion race.

The Blades have slipped from top of the division in November down to their current position of eighth place following a run of two wins in their last 13 league outings.

Wilder accepts that many will continue to mark his side down as no-hopers, having averaged only a point a game over the past few months, but is adamant that United have the character to pick themselves back up and climb into the playoff picture.

"If people want to write us off, which I'm sure they are doing, then that's up to them," he is quoted as saying by the Sheffield Star. "If they want to say that's us done, they can do that if they want. It's fine by me. But I know the spirit that's in this group and I know they can go again. I know better than anyone the character of these boys.

"We have to get over [this blip] quickly and set ourselves up for a grandstand finish. Because were still in the fight and it's still all to play for. I don't think there's anything wrong with the character of our group, in fact I know there isn't because they prove it every single day.

"This game against Leeds this weekend takes care of itself. We'll have a full house and the support from up the road is going to be a sell-out too. These are the type of matches everyone wants to be involved in and I know the lads are going to be up for it as they and the fans always are."

Sheffield United have most recently lost back-to-back games at the hands of Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers, failing to score a goal in either match.