Blades Boss Delivers Team News As Sheffield United Travel to Portsmouth | OneFootball

Sheffield United make the long trip to the south coast on Saturday afternoon as they face Portsmouth in what has historically proven to be a tricky away fixture for the Blades.

Pompey had pieced together a steady run of form prior to their most recent outing, going unbeaten in four matches before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of Preston North End. Despite that positive spell, Portsmouth remain precariously positioned, hovering just a single point above the Championship relegation zone. Every point is proving crucial at this stage of the season, and Fratton Park is expected to provide its usual hostile backdrop.

United, meanwhile, come into the contest on the back of a frustrating 2-1 home defeat to Middlesbrough. It was an absorbing, end-to-end encounter that could easily have swung the other way. However, the key turning point came when Joe Rothwell was shown a straight red card on his debut after a reckless lunge near the touchline. Reduced to ten men, the Blades were left with a mountain to climb, and the contest slipped from their grasp late on.

Rothwell’s dismissal means he will now serve a three-match suspension, further limiting United’s midfield options at a crucial juncture. There was, however, encouragement to be taken from Kalvin Phillips’ brief cameo appearance. Making his Blades debut from the bench, Phillips injected calm and structure into the side, and even with a numerical disadvantage, United appeared more composed during his time on the pitch.

Jairo Riedewald is also edging closer to a return and could bolster the defensive midfield ranks if deemed fit enough for inclusion in the matchday squad.

For Portsmouth, injury concerns continue to mount. Keshi Anderson is the latest addition to the treatment room with a hamstring issue. Defenders Josh Knight, Conor Shaughnessy and Hayden Matthews remain sidelined, while attacking options Harvey Blair, Franco Umeh and Thomas Waddingham are all nursing soft tissue problems. Those absences could test Pompey’s depth as they look to steer clear of trouble.

Chris Wilder Details Team News Ahead of Portsmouth Clash

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 03: Chris Wilder, Manager of Sheffield United, during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield United and Oxford United at Bramall Lane on February 03, 2026 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

United manager Chris Wilder confirmed he will once again be selecting from a similar pool of players ahead of the Championship clash. While Rothwell is unavailable, there was positive news regarding Oliver Arblaster, who was withdrawn at half-time against Middlesbrough due to illness.

“Blaster had to come off at half-time. He wasn’t very well during the first half,” Wilder explained in his pre-match press conference. “He complained to the referee halfway through, 25-30 minutes. He wasn’t feeling too great, so he had to come off. He’s had a couple of days off. He came back in yesterday, so we’re hoping he’s going to be available. Pat came through okay, everybody else is fine.”

Wilder suggested there would be no sweeping changes despite the defeat, pointing to the overall performance levels in recent weeks.

“I’m not sure there’ll be wholesale changes, especially how the team performed,” he added. “The result, obviously, was not the one that we were after, but it’s quite easy to look at the shortcomings of the team on Monday night and maybe dismiss a lot of positive actions and periods of that game against the top side.”

The United boss also addressed his management of Gustavo Hamer, underlining the responsibility of balancing individual development with the needs of the collective.

“Sometimes you have to take actions as a manager to give little reminders of where the player is at, at that particular moment, and what he has achieved and what he can achieve,” Wilder said. “It’s not just about putting an arm around a player all the time. Sometimes you have to take action, whether it’s tactical or just how we feel. The performance levels of the team have been pretty good right the way through the last 15 games.

“Gus is the biggest driver. We think a lot about the player. We’ll help him get back to his best and hopefully, he’s on that road. You have an obligation and a responsibility to manage not just one player, but a whole group. Trying to get the best out of Gus is the challenge for me and the coaches.”