SHEFFIELD United’s players were left “broken and damaged” after their latest home humbling, admits boss Chris Wilder.

The beleaguered Blades suffered a third successive battering on their own turf, this time at the hands of rampant Arsenal, who ran out 6-0 winners at Bramall Lane.

The Gunners, who led by three inside 15 minutes, won courtesy of strikes from Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, Ben White and a Jayden Bogle own goal.

It follows back-to-back 5-0 home Premier League losses for the Blades, to Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Sheffield United, who lost 8-0 to Newcastle United earlier this campaign, have won just three league matches all season and look destined for an instant return to the Championship, sitting bottom of the pile and 11 points from safety.

They have 11 matches remaining, starting against Cherries at Vitality Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

Wilder, who replaced Paul Heckingbottom as boss in December, said: “It’s been a painful season, a real painful one before me and through my period.

“There’s a lot of broken and damaged players out there because this is what the league can do to you, especially when you’re off it and they’re on it.

“When you don’t close the gap they make it look huge.”