Chris Wilder squares up to Plymouth player before mass tunnel bust-up breaks out
The pressure of Championship promotion appeared to get the better of Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder.
The Blades boss was involved in a confrontation with Plymouth Argyle duo Mustapha Bundu and Darko Gyabi after the Pilgrims' 2-1 upset at Home Park.
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Footage of the incident showed Wilder stare down Bundu and Gyabi as they made their way off the field before he walked over and stood in their path.
Gyabi attempted to get in between Wilder and Bundu, but the manager continued to follow and talk to the Sierra Leonean as they made their way down the tunnel.
It was there that tensions appeared to explode as plenty of pushing and shoving between both teams ensued.
Wilder's frustrations were perhaps due to his team conceding two goals in the last ten minutes to throw away a vital three points in the race for automatic promotion.
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Jeseurun Rak-Sakyi put the Blades ahead in the 44th minute as they looked well in control against the last-placed team in the Championship.
However, the Pilgrims were revitalised when Ryan Hardie netted the equaliser in the 81st minute.
Plymouth sensed they had the Blades on the ropes as they sprinted back to the halfway line after scoring.
They were proved correct as the pressure paid off in the 88th minute when substitute Muhamed Tijani blew the roof off of Home Park.
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Speaking after the contest, Wilder bemoaned the fact his side could not turn their 70 per cent possession into dominance on the scoreboard.
"We should (have won), but that's the name of the game and the nature of the game," Wilder said.
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"If you don't find that bit to take the game away from them, we did in the first half, but we didn't in the second half for the amount of possession that we had and the control in the game.
"I felt the only opportunity for them to score was on the counter attack or us doing something unnecessary or a set piece, whether that was a throw-in or a corner.
"But when you have that much possession and that much territory, you have to find the goal to match up the play."
The 2-1 result marked the third-straight defeat for Wilder's side and left them five points behind Leeds United and Burnley, who occupy the two automatic promotion spots, with four games remaining.
It now means the Blades may have to prepare themselves for three more games once the regular season is finished ahead of the playoffs.
Wilder couldn't hide his disappointment at the run of three consecutive defeats and conceded his team has let their good position on the table 'slip'.
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"It's been a huge swing in the week and we have to accept and own it that it's in our hands in terms of the disappointing performance and results that we had in the week and you pay the penalty," Wilder said.
"We had an opportunity of being really involved if we'd had a positive week and we haven't had a positive week. So we've let that slip."
Wilder's side will look to avoid a fourth-straight defeat when they host Cardiff City on Friday.
| Club | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts | Last 5 |
| Leeds United | 42 | 25 | 13 | 4 | 29 | 88 | D,D,D,W,W |
| Burnley | 42 | 24 | 16 | 2 | 13 | 88 | W,W,W,D,W |
| Sheffield United | 42 | 26 | 7 | 9 | 33 | 83 | W,W,L,L,L |