Welcome to the Athletics Premier League countdown. I'm Adam Leventhal with the

return of the 2019-20 season only days away we're releasing 20 shows on the onstein and Chapman

feed each one dedicated to a different Premier League team that's two

podcasts a day every day up until football returns.

Now if you're not already a subscriber,

you can sign up right now and take advantage of our 30-day free trial

by going to the Athletic.com,

forward slash Ornstein and Chapman to enjoy the best football writing anywhere just as the season makes its long

awaited return. Sheffield United are next under the microscope, currently seventh, just two places and three points behind

Manchester United in fifth and with a game in hand as well.

Let's welcome the athletics dedicated Sheffield United correspondent Richard Sutcliffe to the show.

Richard, it has been a sensational season for Sheffield United just in general terms.

How excited are you to get back reporting on a side that has exceeded expectations?

Oh, they certainly have. I must admit I didn't see this season coming, if I'm honest.

I thought they'd battle manfully against relegation then probably just stay up right at the end and actually last summer I was out in Portugal

Speaking to Chris Wilder and he'd actually just sat the players down that day and got off the

they had a phenomenal three years and been winning most weeks and actually

explained to them and says look if we lose three four or five games on the

bounce you know you'll have to cope with that just be ready for it and yeah obviously there's been nothing like that they've only lost twice away all season and as you say if they win this game in hand against Villa when they when they relaunched the Premier League on Wednesday they move up to fifth place and knocking on the door of the Champions League, which it's just beyond comprehension really.

Just give us an insight into how Sheffield United have been during this lockdown period and what Chris Wilder has been able to do with his

squad to ensure that they're you know that they've topped up their fitness and they've mentally

been ready to go again when we were given a date.

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