Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has praised Jairo Riedewald’s commitment after the midfielder returned to the side against Preston North End on Tuesday night.

Riedewald started for United during Tuesday night’s 3-2 victory over rock-bottom Preston and played for just under an hour before being replaced by Ollie Arblaster.

The Dutchman has struggled for minutes so far this campaign after playing a big part for the Blades last season.

Riedewald has played just 219 minutes in the Championship so far, and before Tuesday night, the midfielder hadn’t started in the league since United’s clash against Norwich City on September 5.

Ahead of United’s trip to Charlton Athletic on Saturday, Wilder said: “I think it just shows the character that we have in the group. It's been a difficult period. It's always a difficult period when a player doesn't play, and Jairo hasn't played as much football as he would have liked.

“But then, on the same breath, you're talking about Sydie (Peck), and you're talking about Kalvin (Phillips), talking about Joe Rothwell and Blaster (Ollie Arblaster) as well.

“It's an area of the pitch that we're well stocked, and we've got good players, but quickly things happen, and tactically we felt it was the right thing to play Jairo there on Tuesday night, and he can be pleased with his performance.”

The midfielder had a pass accuracy of 91 per cent from 35 attempted passes against Preston.

“It's always pretty difficult when you're not playing reserve team football regularly, or you don't get the minutes competitively to go into a game of that magnitude of Championship football, but he's an experienced player. But I'm mostly concentrating on his attitude and his approach, really, that he keeps himself ready. And when he goes in, he doesn't let anybody down. He doesn't let himself down.

“And as I've always said, the important players for me are not the ones that are playing week in, week out; it’s the seven, eight, nine and managing the other boys for moments like that, to making sure that they're right, and when they go in, they play well, and our form continues, and the results continue.”