Chris Wilder has delivered a brutal assessment of his Sheffield United squad, after their top-six hopes were dealt a crushing blow by Hull City in the Sky Bet Championship last night.

The Bramall Lane boss claimed that his side weren’t good enough for the top-six, after Nouha Dicko’s second-half strike secured a 1-0 victory for Hull.

Despite that defeat, the Blades still sit seventh, just two points adrift of the top-six with 13 fixtures of the season remaining.

Here at FLW, one player we believe Wilder needs to be utilising more during the run-in is Mark Duffy, who was left on the bench last night at the KCOM Stadium until the second-half.

Over the course of the season, Duffy, 32, has been magnificent for the Blades, proving to be the link between the midfield and an outstanding attack.

Last night, Wilder opted for Lee Evans, John Fleck and Ryan Leonard across the middle of the park, opting to leave the creative Duffy on the bench until late in the contest.

Without Duffy in that midfield three, the Blades lacked a player to push forward and supply the likes of Billy Sharp and Leon Clarke, with Wilder’s side not looking nearly effective enough in the final third of the pitch.

Duffy might have just one goal to his name this season, but he has also registered eight Championship assists, which makes him one of the division’s most creative midfielders.

His impact against Leeds United earlier in the month showed what kind of impact he can have on a game, with his early cross setting Sharp up for a sensational strike.

The run-in is fast approaching, and as Wilder has so clearly pointed out – Sheffield United don’t look like a top-six outfit.

The more we see of Duffy in the coming weeks and months, the better chance the Blades will have of securing a place in the top-six.

Sheffield United fans… Let us know your thoughts!