The Christmas miracle which gives Chris Wilder belief Sheffield United can pull off another great escape act

Chris Wilder can take heart from Sheffield United's great escape over 30 years ago as he looks to mastermind another against-the-odds survival bid. The Blades boss was a United player back in 1990/91 when they tasted their first league win on December 22, beating Nottingham Forest 3-2 at a jubilant Bramall Lane.

What had been a season of struggle up to that point had a remarkable ending, with that victory sparking a superb run of form that eventually saw United finish 13th after winning 10 of their next 14 games. There are some interesting comparisons with United's current campaign, with Wilder's men in a relegation battle and on a similar number of points, and travelling to Aston Villa on Friday - the 33rd anniversary of that historic Forest win.

They were cruelly denied what could have been a season-sparking victory against the title-chasing Villa by a 97th-minute equaliser but the belief, of becoming the first side to deny Unai Emery's side three points at home in 16 games, could generate similar belief for the class of 2023 as it did Wilder and Co. back in 1990.

"It was the same narrative from outside, a dismissive narrative," said Wilder of his memories of 1990/91. "It was: 'Sheffield United have lost again, Sheffield United have lost again, Sheffield United have drawn, we're going to get relegated, nobody's really bothered about us.' It's a similar mentality this time so I've had experience of it.

"That occasion [against Forest] felt like an FA Cup final win. Supporters running on the pitch and everything. That was the start of a great escape. We won at Luton on the plastic pitch and in the new year we won seven games on the spin. I'm not saying we're going to do that because the league has moved on.

"But that group was together and took the blows on the chin, which you have to, and came out swinging. When things start to change and you get more belief in the group, good things can happen. So we have to stay really positive and believe we can replicate what that team did in 1990."