Sheffield United defender George Baldock admits they've enjoyed proving their doubters wrong this season.

Blades boss Chris Wilder pinned articles up on the dressing room to challenge his players to prove all the critics wrong.

One radio show wrote off their chances of staying up, dismissed Billy Sharp as a League One striker and claimed “they would end up being worse than Huddersfield."

It has helped inspire Baldock and his United teammates because this squad is really exceptional and the secret of their success has been the dressing room spirit.

Baldock, 27, who has played every minute of all their 28 games, said: “I think it was on talkSPORT, the line was: 'Sheffield United aren't even taking this Premier League seriously.' Billy Sharp is a League One player, what? He scored 25 goals last season in the Championship!

“Another one was we play basic football. That was baffling because if you watch us then one word you can't call us is basic. I understand that some people try to get a reaction, I try to laugh it off, prove people wrong and through hard work we've been able to do that.

“Personally, I understood we'd have our doubters and individually I knew I'd have critics in a game of opinions but I've always said that if I got to the Premier League I knew it would suit my game, I believed it would suit me potentially more than the Championship.

“I love testing myself against the best players, going one v one, testing your speed and agility and I've always had a burning desire to show people that is my game."