Chris Wilder set for Sheffield United return after Blades sack hapless boss Ruben Selles

Sheffield United have sacked Ruben Selles after overseeing a fifth straight Championship loss away to Ipswich Town - and Chris Wilder is set to replace him. The sorry Blades were smashed 5-0 at Portman Road to leave Selles winless after five games.

And the manner in which last season's beaten Championship play-off finalists capitulated in the final half an hour in Suffolk has proved fatal for Selles, who was only appointed as Wilder's successor back in June. Mirror Football understands that Wilder, 57, is being lined up for a return to Bramall Lane for what would be his third stint in charge of the club.

The Yorkshireman was sacked following their agonising play-off final defeat to Sunderland at Wembley, having narrowly missed out on automatic promotion. Wilder's departure sparked backlash but the club's owners, a US-based consortium who took over in December 2024, hoped that Selles would guide them back to the top flight.

But the Spaniard's reign never even got started. The Blades have lost all six games in both the Championship and Carabao Cup this season, scoring just two goals.

It's been a month since United last hit the back of the net and the writing was on the wall after Friday's drubbing. Tensions between the fan base and 42-year-old Selles had been escalating since the early weeks of the season.

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The former Southampton, Hull City and Reading boss faced up to a crowd of angry away supporters after last month's 1-0 loss at Middlesbrough. But the Bramall Lane board stuck with Selles during the international break.

That's despite United being rock bottom of the table, one point behind their local rivals and crisis club Sheffield Wednesday. After the 5-0 hammering at Ipswich, Selles walked over to the away section and was pelted with chants of 'we want Selles out' by angry fans.

It was following the Friday catastrophe when Blades chiefs decided to weild the axe. United have a home game against Charlton Athletic next Saturday before travelling to Oxford.

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Selles had been encouraged by the Blades' first-half performance against Ipswich, having gone in at half-time 1-0 down. But it was a different story in the second period, as they conceded four goals without reply.

"We started the second half without being competitive and the second goal was the thing that changed the game," Selles admitted. "That second goal, after conceding transitions all over the pitch, I think we fall apart."

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