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Chris Wilder sets Sheffield United players Bramall Lane challenge after Birmingham draw Sheffield United started the 2026/27 Championship campaign with a goalless draw against Birmingham City. Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has set his players the challenge of making Bramall Lane a fortress this season after they started their 2026/27 Championship campaign with a goalless draw against Birmingham City on Saturday evening. In a game of very few clear-cut opportunities, the two teams cancelled each other out in front of the Sky Sports cameras, meaning they each had to settle for a point in their first league outing of the season. United’s best chance fell to Patrick Bamford in the second half, but his effort was well saved by Birmingham goalkeeper James Beadle, who was rarely troubled throughout the contest. Birmingham, meanwhile, forced just two saves from Blades goalkeeper Michael Cooper. Wilder admitted post-match that his side “definitely” would have lost that sort of game last season, meaning he was pleased to see his team take something from a contest that was light on attacking quality. Having started the season with a point and a clean sheet on home soil, the Blades chief has expressed just how determined he is to turn Bramall Lane back into a happy hunting ground for his team, after they won just nine games and lost ten on their own patch in the Championship last season. “I thought it was really important, as I talked about, psychologically, that we took something from the game, especially here,” Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield. “This is the place where the supporters are terrific. “This is a place where we have got to make sure that we nail this place down. Too many teams comfortably walked away with three points last year, and the challenge to the players is to make sure this is the hardest place in the division to come and get a result with our attitude and our approach. “That isn't us being negative. That isn't us being a counter-attacking team. We were one of the best pressing teams in the division last season. “But as soon as we turn the ball over, because our press is good, we just have to be cleaner. We have to be cleaner, get the first pass out, build a little bit of momentum and then hopefully create a few more chances.”