Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder says his side need to perform better despite their 4-2 victory over Wigan.

Chey Dunkley’ own goal and Billy Sharp’s hat-trick secured all three points for the high-flying Blades.

But Wilder said: “It’s the old performance over points scenario today. For me, from a footballing point of view, I thought we took our goals very very well.

“But you never turn down three points, especially at the top of the Championship, so we’ll gladly take that.

“Next time out we’ll need to do a little bit better than today. Give credit to the opposition though today, they came and here and gave it a go, because not many teams do.

“I thought they were the better team in the first half, and I thought that we were fortunate to go into half-time up. We were better second half.

“Maybe we didn’t deserve to win the game today. It never felt as though we were in control, we were a bit slack. From a defensive point of view, the goals they’ve scored aren’t great.”

The visitors were lively and attacking-minded throughout the encounter and Kai Naismith drew them level after Dunkley’s error.

But Sharp scored his first on 45 minutes when he fired home the loose ball after Richard Stearman had headed back across goal.

His second came not long after the restart, when Leon Clarke played a low ball across goal to find the United captain waiting at the back post to tap home.

Sharp sealed his hat-trick, and the points, shortly after the hour mark but Wigan played their part in an end-to-end game and got their second when substitute Joe Garner found the back of the net with a low shot from inside the box.

Latics manager Paul Cook said: “Sheffield United are for me, the outstanding team in the division. Other teams might have better individual players, but they are the best team.

“Sheffield United are for me a very complete team, they work so hard for each other and they played some really great football today.

“We all knew how hard it would be for us coming here today. Unfortunately for us, Sheffield United didn’t have to do an awful lot today, and that’s a massive disappointment for us.

“I just felt today that, when you come to places like Bramall Lane, we had some great opportunities in the game and got into some great areas. But we’re in a very unforgiving league and at the minute teams score goals against us without really having to work.

“The division is tough. The calibre of teams in the league that we’re playing against week in and week out is so good. Our challenge is to maintain our status in this league.”