Chris Wilder has played down the significance of the on-field bust-up between Sheffield United’s Vinicius Souza and Jack Robinson during the side’s 1-0 defeat to Wolves, insisting similar spats ‘happen behind closed doors at every level’.
Replays of the incident showed Vinicius approaching team-mate Robinson before the pair butted heads and exchanged swipes in the 37th minute at Molineux, shortly after Pablo Sarabia’s winning goal.
Players from both teams got between Vinicius and Robinson before the altercation escalated and the duo escaped bookings after referee Darren Bond consulted with VAR.
Hosts Wolves held on to secure victory, the club’s third win in four matches in the Premier League, while Wilder’s struggling Blades remain rooted to the bottom of the table with just 13 points on the board.
‘That happens at every club up and down the country, three or four times a year,’ Sheffield United manager Wilder told reporters shortly after the final whistle.
‘Of course you can’t condone it, it has to stay at a level, we have a responsibility to the young kids out there playing.
‘That happens behind closed doors at every level, at Manchester City and the bottom of League Two.
‘You don’t want to see it but it does. VAR spotted it and for me, you just move on pretty quickly.
‘They were told about their responsibilities at half-time. We talked to the boys and they are fine and cool.
‘We’re a team who is learning in the Premier League, learning on the job and our opponents have been building for quite a while.’
A frustrated Wilder felt his team ‘played well enough’ to come away from the match with a result.
‘We were competitive. We haven’t got the result but my frustration and criticism of the team are about the big moments,’ he added.
‘We had enough territory and we have to find that quality they found.
‘I believe we played well enough. If you play well you have to come away with something and that’s my frustration and criticism.’
Blades forward Rhian Brewster revealed that Vinicius and Robinson were able to sort out their differences at the half-time break.
‘It’s two passionate players coming together, it’s a disagreement,’ he told Sky Sports.
‘We sorted it out at half time, it is what it is. We’re not chucking it in, we hate losing, we just want to stick together as a team. Brothers fall out. We go again next week.’
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