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 Ornstein 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 theathletic.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, they'd had a phenomenal three years and been winning most weeks. And actually explained to them and says, look, if we lose three, four, five games on the bounce, you'll have to cope with that and just be ready for it. And yet, 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 re-launched 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've topped up their fitness

and they've mentally been ready to go again when we were given a date.

Yeah, it's been a very carefully scheduled three months, really.

There were the last team to finish training.

I think it was the 20th of March when they finally gave up the ghost up at Shirecliffe,

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