Vinicius Souza and Jack Robinson came to blows in Sheffield United’s defeat at Wolves (Picture: Getty)
Chris Wilder says Jack Robinson and Vinicius Souza have put their on-field bust-up ‘to bed’ and ‘moved on’ ahead of Sheffield United’s clash with Mikel Arteta’s free-scoring Arsenal.
Rock-bottom Sheffield United ensured they remained rooted to the foot of the Premier League table with a 1-0 defeat away to Wolves last time out, with Pablo Sarabia heading home the only goal of the game in the 30th minute at Molineux.
Tensions were running high after the Blades had conceded their 66th goal of the campaign – far and away the biggest tally in the top flight this season – and tempers boiled over as team-mates Robinson and Vinicius squared up to each other on the edge of their own box.
After a couple of swipes were exchanged, players from both teams managed to intervene before the incident escalated and the duo escaped bookings as referee Darren Bond consulted with the video assistant referee.
In the immediate aftermath of the loss, the Blades’ fourth in their last five games, Wilder argued that the spat was a storm in a teacup, insisting similar bust-ups ‘happen behind closed doors at every level’.
And it appears Robinson and Vinicius have put their scrap behind them, with the club needing to focus their attention on survival as they prepare to play host to third-placed Arsenal at Bramall Lane on Monday night.
‘Listen, I understand it was close and a massive talking point, I get that for media maybe outside Sheffield,’ Wilder told reporters at his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
The Blades pair escaped being booked at Molineux (Picture: Sky Sports)
‘It’s not really much of a talking point for myself involved at the football club.
‘It made me laugh actually because the second story down after that on the Sky Sports website was two NHL ice hockey players absolutely smashing each other to bits! Taking their gloves off and smashing each other to bits for ten minutes.
‘So it wasn’t quite that in terms of intensity but for me it’s not an issue as long as it got put to bed straight away. I can sit here and over my career as a player, career as a manager and career here as Sheffield United manager, there’s been plenty of those situations that have happened.
The Blades entertain Arsenal at Bramall Lane on Monday evening (Picture: Getty)
‘Obviously, there was the spotlight of the Premier League and it’s not a good image. I totally get that and it was too close for comfort, but you know what side I’m going to come out of it… it’s two boys that want to do well.
‘Did it get us going? I’m not sure it got us going because I thought we were alright anyway.
‘But these things happen, it gets put to bed and we move on.’
Arsenal are riding a six-game winning streak in the top flight (Picture: Getty)
Despite Sheffield United’s current predicament, Wilder insisted he would much rather be scrapping it out against ‘world-class’ opposition like Arsenal than coasting along in the Championship.
He explained: ‘What would you rather do? Would you rather be playing a Championship game on a Monday night or would you rather be watching Arsenal in front of the world and playing against world-class players and a team that’s absolutely flying, playing in Europe, that have improved year on year and that deservedly in the position they are?
‘I know where I’d rather be and I’m sure the players will have that same attitude.’
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Asked whether he believed in ‘free hits’ against the Premier League’s top sides, Wilder replied: ‘No, there’s no free hits. We have to produce a performance that represents ourselves, our football club, that the supporters are proud of.
‘We haven’t had enough of those this season so we need to produce more of those than no. So no free hits for me regardless of the opposition.
‘Of course, the bookies and people in the game will have us down as the whipping boys on Monday night, we understand that, but the game’s not always built like that, results aren’t decided before a game on league position.
‘They go into the game as favourites, I understand that, but we have to show we’re capable of being competitive and get a result out of the game.’
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