Chris Wilder has urged Sheffield United fans to be patient when Albion return to Bramall Lane.

The Blades boss is banking on his side’s survival bid gaining momentum after last week’s win at relegation rivals Luton lifted them to within seven points of safety.

But he is wary of going gung-ho at Bramall Lane against the Seagulls after his side’s 5-0 defeat to Aston Villa in their previous home game.

Wilder, whose side also let in five against Albion in last month’s home FA Cup defeat, said: “The knowledge of the crowd is incredibly important on Sunday because I could set my team up just to go and get after Brighton.

“I could say we’re going to go full press, man-for-man, stop them playing out from the back, we’re going to get after them and stand on the halfway line – and I know what’s going to happen.

“The way (Brighton) play, the way they move the ball, the way they want the game to be. They want that game. That’s the game they want.

“You have to make sure you get your gameplan right and you are patient. That doesn’t mean you are passive.”

After that cup tie, Wilder appeared, via his press conference, to be preparing Blades fan for his side to sit back when Albion returned in the Prem.

He built on that groundwork as he spoke ahead of this weekend's game.

Of course, it might all be a smoke screen. He might try and rip into Albion from the off - as Luton did to great effect when they beat them 4-0 three days after that Bramall Lane cup tie.

But the more likely scenario is that he was looking to head off any criticisms a cagey approach might draw were fans not to know what he was trying to do.

The Blades followed Albion to Kenilworth Road and their impressive 3-1 win was their first on the road this season - and just their third anywhere in the top flight since winning promotion in May.

Wilder said he wants his players to be “aggressive and competitive” in the right areas and avoid being ruthlessly exposed as they were against Villa.

He added: “Hopefully the supporters will see that and understand it.

“We all want to see what Jurgen Klopp calls ‘heavy metal football’. That’s why (Liverpool) are the most talked-about team in the Premier League and people want to watch them. We all aspire to that.

“I’d love my team to go out and play like that, but they’ve built that team over an enormous amount of years and have been super-successful under Jurgen and the players they bring in and how they develop it.

“But we have to be realistic. We’re in the Premier League. It’s not me being defeatist, it’s not being negative.

"We understood what can happen when we lost our shape against Villa.”

Wilder must decide whether to recall January signing Ivo Grbic or stick with Wes Foderingham in goal following the Croatian’s recovery from concussion.

Rhys Norrington-Davies misses out due to a hamstring strain in an injury-hit season and Oli McBurnie (calf) will be assessed after missing the last two matches.