Incredible Stat Places Chris Wilder Behind Only Pep Guardiola After Sheffield United See Off Palace
Sheffield United's surge to the top tier of English football is nothing to be scoffed at. Having taken charge of the Blades in 2016, Chris Wilder immediately guided them back into the second division with a stunning 100-point haul.
Their first season back in the Championship was all about consolidation. A respectable mid-table finish ensured they would be granted another crack of the whip the following season, and they wasted no time in capitalising on it by finishing second and returning to the top flight for the first time in 12 years.
Two promotions in three seasons means they've won a fair amount of football matches. Somewhat incredibly, Wilder has managed a total of 77 league wins following their victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
As revealed by Opta, that win means only one other manager in England's top four divisions has won more league matches than Wilder since the start of the 2016/17 season, that manager being Pep Guardiola.
Finishing third in the Catalan's debut campaign, Manchester City have followed that up with successive Premier League titles, giving Guardiola a total of 88 wins during those three (and a bit) seasons.
Both opting to play entirely differing styles, it encapsulates what is so endearing about football, there is no definitive linear way in which to win football matches. It also embodies the fine work Wilder has done since taking the reins at the Blades, with the statistic putting him ahead of other giants of the English managerial world such as Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino.
In total, Wilder has managed United on 153 occasions in all competitions, with 82 wins accrued during that time, leaving him with a total win percentage of 53.6%, his highest total at any of the clubs he's managed. In contract, Guardiola has amassed 129 wins from his 177 games with City, with an overall win percentage of a staggering 72.9%.
Jan Kruger/GettyImages
John Lundstram's goal on Sunday was enough to hand Wilder his 77th league win in charge, with the Blades' next test coming next Saturday against Leicester City, once again at Bramall Lane.
