Sheffield United 'make approach' for ex-Watford and Middlesbrough boss ahead of Charlton Athletic clash

Sheffield United have reportedly made an approach to their former manager Chris Wilder ahead of Saturday’s game with Charlton Athletic as the Blades’ miserable start to the season continued on Friday night.

After losing the Championship play-off final in dramatic fashion to Sunderland, Wilder left Bramall Lane and was replaced by former Reading, Southampton and Hull City manager Ruben Selles.

However, it has been a torrid start for the Spaniard who has lost all five of his Championship games with just one goal scored and 12 conceded. They lost 1-0 to Millwall in August and this coming Saturday they host Charlton in South Yorkshire.

On Friday evening they were hammered 5-0 at Ipswich Town.

Following that loss, it has been reported by The Star that Wilder has been approached with patience running thin with Selles. Wilder is best known for his success at Sheffield United between 2016 and 2021 but he has had spells with Middlesbrough and Watford before returning to Bramall Lane in 2023 for a second spell.

Ruben Selles adamant he has owner support ahead of Charlton Athletic

It could prove a decisive week for Sheffield United and decisions taken by the club’s board could change the picture for Charlton ahead of Saturday’s game. The Addicks may currently view the fixture as a chance to get points on the board but a potential change in the dugout may spark some changes to the Sheffield United squad and result in the Blades providing a sterner test.

Speaking about his future, Selles said after the 5-0 loss at Ipswich Town: "If you don't win football matches your position is going to be discussed, not only for me but for every coach in the world. We have to keep working hard until the end

"The owners have been supporting me until today. I haven't spoken to them after the game. I'm not worried about that, I'm just worried about how we can do things better. I'm the first one to give pressure to myself.

"I believe in myself. I will always be in front of anything that has my name. We are not going to solve anything tonight but we have to analyse. The good thing about football is you have another game in seven days and it's another opportunity."

Charlton Athletic earn Millwall draw ahead of Sheffield United trip

Ahead of their visit to South Yorkshire, Charlton drew 1-1 with London rivals Millwall on Saturday afternoon. Sonny Carey put the hosts ahead on 40 minutes but they then saw Kayne Ramsay sent off after 74 minutes.

Millwall broke the resistance of the 10 men on 88 minutes through Raees Bangura-Williams.

Addicks manager Jones said afterwards: “I’m proud of the performance because it took a red card for us to draw the game. We were comfortable and I didn’t see us conceding today.

“Once we got the goal I just wanted to get the next one, which we couldn’t do. It was going to take something – like a set-play or a moment of madness to concede and we got a moment of madness.

“When you are on a booking and you lunge in then you know you are risking something. You have to be cleverer than that. Top defenders stay on their feet and make people work for something – when they go to ground it is a last resort or they know they can win it.

“It is a learning curve for him. He’s a young boy and he has so much ability, he has been outstanding for us. That was categorically the turning point.

“We got in so many times in the first half but without having an end product. If we do that we’re comfortably ahead by half-time. We didn’t show moments of quality which we need to.

“We got the goal eventually. I tried to make positive changes to get the second goal. They needed something to turn for them and we gifted them that.

“We should have had six points from our last two home games but we took one. We’re comfortable at the level.”