Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has bemoaned the gap in physicality between his team and Liverpool was stark.

The Reds were runaway 3-1 winners at Anfield in the Premier League on Thursday.

Despite having a foothold in the game at 1-1 in the second half, the Blades could not live with the Reds' forwards.

“It's the physicality of the Premier League that's biggest for me," said Wilder post-game.

“The best operators in the world manage at this level and, technically, players can do something out of nothing. Look at Mac Allister's goal. From a bouncing ball, to fire it in the top corner was incredible.

“But we saw again the power and pace of the Premier League and playing at a place like Anfield, in front of 60,000, it doesn't get much more difficult. Especially for Sheffield United, with the gulf between the two clubs. That gulf has taken a huge step forwards, with the players they brought on and the power and the pace.

“That has been our Achilles' heel all season. You could see we were struggling to hang on in and get back for recovery runs late on. It's a difficult one to take because you want the players to give everything they've got and you saw that tonight. But physically the gap, from where I want us to be and where we are, has hurt us all season. And once again it cost us tonight."