Fleck misses out, 3-5-2: The Sheffield United XI that Heckingbottom should field v Reading on Tuesday | OneFootball

Sheffield United will be keen to bounce back when they travel to face Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The Blades’ defeat to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday has allowed third-placed Middlesbrough to cut the gap between them in the Championship to just four points but with Michael Carrick’s side not playing until the weekend, tomorrow’s game is an opportunity to restore their seven-point lead.

Reading were hammered 5-0 away at Boro on Saturday and the Blades ran riot in the reverse fixture at Bramall Lane in August but Paul Ince’s side are a completely different proposition at home – having won 33 of their 44 points this season at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

With that in mind, here’s the XI that Paul Heckingbottom should field tomorrow…

It would be a shock to see the Blades boss start anyone but Wes Foderingham in goal on Tuesday evening while he will likely name an unchanged back three as Anel Ahmedhozic is serving the second game of his two-game suspension after picking up 10 bookings.

We could well see changes made in the midfield, however. Tommy Doyle was excellent in the FA Cup upset against Tottenham last week and he may return to the side in place of John Fleck.

On the right, Jayden Bogle could give way after an underwhelming performance against Blackburn – with George Baldock in his place as Heckingbottom freshens things up on that flank.

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Oli McBurnie and Iliman Ndiaye drew a blank against Rovers on Saturday so the Blades boss may feel a tweak is needed for the visit to the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Dropping Ndiaye is surely out of the question given his form this season but he may be joined in the forward line by Billy Sharp, who replaces McBurnie.

Boro have all the momentum after Saturday’s results but a United win away at Reading would send a message that they’re still in the driving seat in the race for second place.