Sheffield United have confirmed the departure of manager Chris Wilder by mutual consent, with former Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom installed as caretaker until the end of the season.

Speculation had mounted over Wilder’s future on Friday, when the club’s media duties ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match at Leicester were cancelled.

Wilder, who enjoyed great success after taking charge of his boyhood club in 2016 and guiding them from League One to the top flight, leaves with the Blades bottom of the Premier League.

But Wilder’s team have endured a miserable run this season, suffering the ignominy of making the worst ever start to a top-flight season in the history of English football.

The Blades have lost 22 of their 28 Premier League matches and are bottom of the table with only 14 points – 12 points from safety with 10 matches remaining.

However, they have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, where they travel to Chelsea next weekend.