Championship manager 'sacked' before Charlton Athletic visit as Millwall, Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town defeats spell end

Sheffield United are reportedly ‘set to confirm’ the sacking of manager Ruben Selles following a run of five-straight Championship defeats.

The Blades started the campaign with a 4-1 loss at home to Bristol City. The goal in that defeat was the last time they scored in the Championship as defeats to Swansea City, Millwall, Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town followed without the Blades finding the net.

The defeat to Millwall came at Bramall Lane with Luke Cundle scoring the only goal as the Lions left South Yorkshire with all three points in late August. Charlton Athletic make the trip to Bramall Lane this coming weekend but are now set to face a very different challenge.

Selles was named as Chris Wilder’s replacement at the Blades but it has not worked out for the ex-Hull City, Southampton and Reading manager with the club’s owners running out of patience. It was reported over the weekend that Wilder is poised to sensationally return to the dugout at Sheffield United.

Ruben Selles sacked as Chris Wilder to return for third spell

Now the Star has reported that Selles has been sacked with official confirmation coming as soon today, as they reported: “The Blades are set to confirm the sacking of the Spaniard after a disastrous start to his tenure in South Yorkshire, with an announcement potentially arriving this weekend.”

Sky Sports News have also reported that Selles has been sacked.

Charlton have picked up five points from their opening five Championship games as they drew 1-1 with Millwall in their latest outing. Saturday’ visit to Bramall Lane looked like a good opportunity, on paper, to secure an important win but with a change in manager, the Addicks will now likely face a much sterner test.

It will be Wilder’s third spell at the club he has enjoyed plenty of success at over the years. Charlton boss Nathan Jones was frustrated by picking up just one point from the game against Millwall after losing to QPR before the international break.

He said: “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.”

Sheffield United ‘are a good team’

Speaking after his side beat the Blades back in August, Millwall boss Alex Neil praised Sheffield United’s quality - with the pending return of Wilder set to give them a boost before they meet Charlton.

Neil said in August: “Sheffield United are a good side, aren’t they? I know it’s been a difficult start for them but what they’ve got, they’re a good team. Most of these players last year finished the season really strongly, finished with 92 points, something ridiculous like that.

“We needed our goalkeeper to make I think two great saves, one from Hamer, one from Barry down to his other corner. But certainly for us you could see how light we are today in terms of personnel. We were stretched to the max.

“There was going to be a spell where it was going to be backs against the wall, defend your box, do the basics, and, yeah, relying on your goalkeeper at times. And that’s how it panned out.

“We’re just delighted we got the win. I think when this team, when this club’s got adversity against us, it’s probably when we’re at our best. I thought today was a typical Millwall performance where everything’s against us and we managed to dig one out.”

For Millwall, they got to play the Blades at the perfect time as Selles struggled to get to grips but this weekend could prove the worst time to play them as they desperately need a win and could get the famed ‘new manager bounce’ when Charlton come to Sheffield.