Sheffield United: '˜MK Dons could be our toughest home test' Chris Wilder warns

The visitors travel to South Yorkshire just a point above the relegation zone and having parted company with Karl Robinson earlier this week.

But Wilder, denying his comments are a psychological ploy, said: “I’m not trying to be clever but, at the beginning, I certainly had anyone finishing above MK Dons as having an outstanding season and probably getting out of the division. They’ve given themselves a bit to do but there’s still a long way to go and things can quickly change.

“You will have a bad results but it’s how you respond to that. I don’t want it to happen here, the supporters don’t and the attitude of the players tell me they don’t either. But we’ll have to be bang on it. For me, this is one of the toughest games we’ll have at Bramall Lane this year.”

Wilder, whose team are fourth in the table and unbeaten in its last 10 League One games, added: “I’ve taken their league position completely out of it. I’ve looked at their players and their results and it’s a mistake to do anything else. Probably, box to box, they are one of the best, if not the best, at what they do in the division. Sometimes, you don’t put the ball in the back of the net as freely as when you have a bit of confidence. But if you look at their players, at their group, it’s up there with anything in this division.”

Richie Barker was placed in caretaker charge of the visitors when Robinson’s six year reign came to a end and Wilder said: “”Anything could happen. They could be flat after losing a manager who is pretty close to them. Or there could be a reaction. I’m not inside the club so I don’t know what’s going to happen. Managers and coaches, we like to think we’ve got half an idea. But it’s the quality of the players on show that ultimately gets the result.”