Albrighton Notes Sheffield United's Togetherness & Ability
- Leicester City host Sheffield United at King Power Stadium on Thursday night (6pm kick-off)
- Foxes winger Marc Albrighton has praised the Blades for their achievements in the Premier League
- The 30-year-old also insists City are keen to use Sunday's loss at Bournemouth as a motivation
- Leicester now have 'three cup finals' to contest over the coming fortnight, Albrighton says
The Blades are vying for qualification for European competition via their league standing this summer after winning 14 of their 35 games in the top flight so far this season.
Stocksbridge-born Wilder has guided them from the third tier to the Premier League over recent years and Albrighton believes the Yorkshire club deserve respect for their achievements.
Speaking ahead of Thursday's King Power Stadium clash (6pm kick-off), the 30-year-old winger praised United for fusing a strong team ethic with unquestionable ability this year.
"I’ve got the upmost respect for what they’ve done," he said. "I’m a big admirer of the way their dressing room has been able to come together and win so many points.
"Technically, it’s great to play pretty, nice football, but I think to have a dressing room that’s so together, that can win you an extra eight or 10 points a season, which is massive.
"They’ve got the ability side of it as well. What they do and how they play, I’ve got massive respect for that. They’ve done it throughout the leagues and brought it to the Premier League.
"It’s so positive and refreshing to see. They’ve got both sides of it. They’ve got the team ethic and togetherness, but they’ve also got that ability on the pitch."
As Leicester approach their final three games of the campaign, the Foxes will face a trio of sides with plenty to play for in Sheffield United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
Albrighton believes that makes little difference to the difficulty of the challenge as all sides in the Premier League will pose their own unique test in any individual fixture.
"You can play against someone who’s fighting for their lives, or to achieve something, or you can play against somebody that’s got nothing to play for and they're playing with freedom," he added.
"They’re relaxed with no pressure on them, so it’s difficult either way. The game on Sunday night proved that if you’re not on it, no matter who you’re playing, you can’t make mistakes.
"It’s an unforgiving league and we need to make sure that we’re on the top of our game, both technically and mentally. If we are on the top of our game, there’s every chance we’ll win."
The former Aston Villa midfielder also retains a confidence that City can fulfil their own ambitions this term, despite a disappointing result at AFC Bournemouth on Sunday.
"It was something that’s totally out of our character," he explained. "It’s a one-off and it won’t happen again, the lads are sure of that.
"We’ve got to use it as motivation going into the next game and we have to put things right. The fact we’re still in with a shout is fantastic for us.
"We’re in a great position, it’s still in our hands, and we go into every game, no matter who it’s against, or where it is, confident we can win. We’ve got three cup finals coming up now."
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