Football League World
·4 April 2022
In partnership with
Yahoo sportsFootball League World
·4 April 2022
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom has revealed that Billy Sharp is set to miss tomorrow’s meeting with Queens Park Rangers.
The forward has yet to make a full recovery in terms of his fitness from a hamstring injury that he sustained during the Blades’ 2-0 win over Barnsley last month.
Sidelined for the club’s clash with Stoke City at the weekend, Sharp was powerless to prevent his side from suffering a 1-0 defeat at the bet365 Stadium.
John Egan’s own-goal in the second-half of this fixture allowed the Potters to seal all three points in front of their fans.
Another notable absentee from the club’s match-day squad for this fixture was Oliver McBurnie.
The Blades will move into the play-off places if they avoid defeat to QPR at Bramall Lane.
Ahead of this fixture, Heckingbottom has provided an update on Sharp and McBurnie.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference about this duo (as cited by The Yorkshire Post), the Blades boss said: “Bill will be out.
“He wasn’t ready the other day, so we’ll be led by the medics and how Bill responds to his training with pushing on.
“It’s different with muscle injuries, and if you put them out there it can get worse.
“But Oli [McBurnie] has trained today.
1 of 20
Bedford Buckingham Luton Milton Keynes
“It could drag (with Sharp), but it’s the last little bit.
“When he did his work on Thursday and Friday, he felt it when he was running really quick.
“It’s the last hurdle, making sure he’s fit enough to sprint.”
The Verdict
When you consider that Sharp is one of the club’s most important players, it is hardly a surprise that Heckingbottom is not willing to take a risk on him tomorrow.
By waiting until Sharp has made a full recovery from injury, the Blades could reap the benefits of the forward’s presence as he has scored an impressive total of 14 goals at this level during the current campaign.
As for McBurnie, he may be forced to settle for a place on the bench on Tuesday depending on his fitness levels.
Yet to find the back of the net in the Championship for the Blades, the forward will be determined to finally get off the mark in one of his side’s upcoming league fixtures as the club aim to secure a place in the play-offs.