The 9 players set to miss Sheffield United v Bristol City | OneFootball

A look at the nine players who are missing Sheffield United vs Bristol City through injury and suspension on the opening day.

The 2025/26 Championship campaign gets underway this weekend, and we have a clash on the opening day between two sides that have experienced a lot of change since they clashed in the play-offs last season.

In May, Sheffield United hammered Bristol City by six goals to nil on aggregate with a couple of 3-0 victories, home and away, before losing the play-off final to Sunderland in dramatic circumstances at Wembley Stadium. The pair meet on Saturday at Bramall Lane.

Since then, the Blades have parted company with Chris Wilder, and he has been replaced by former Reading and Hull City boss Ruben Selles, with some key players such as Anel Ahmedhodzic and Vinicius Souza departing.

The Robins, on the other hand, have been able to keep hold of captain and key man Jason Knight, but they did lose manager Liam Manning to Norwich City, with former Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber being appointed to replace him at Ashton Gate.

The two teams are expected to remain active in the summer transfer window, with neither having their full squads in place just yet.

There are also quite a few injury issues for the two teams to be concerning themselves with on the opening day, and here is a list of all the players that are unavailable this weekend.

After a brilliant start to the campaign last season, key midfielder Ollie Arblaster suffered a serious knee injury in the Steel City Derby against Sheffield Wednesday at Bramall Lane in November.

Arblaster is nearing his return to full fitness and the first-team, but the Blades’ midfielder remains unavailable for the start of this season.

8 Tom Davies

As confirmed by Ruben Selles in his pre-match press conference, former Everton midfielder Tom Davies is unavailable for the Blades after picking up an injury early on in pre-season.

7 Jamie Shackleton

Another player that Selles explained had picked up an injury early in pre-season and would remain sidelined for the opening day of this season is former Leeds United man Jamie Shackleton.

6 Max Bird

In his pre-match press conference, Gerhard Struber has confirmed that this weekend comes too soon to return to the squad for ex-Derby County midfielder Max Bird.

Struber did say that Bird could get some minutes midweek, though, as City take on Milton Keynes Dons in the first round of the EFL Cup at Ashton Gate on Tuesday.

Bristol City are also without centre-back Rob Dickie, who is actually suspended for the opening-day trip to Bramall Lane, after the former Queens Park Rangers centre-back was sent off against Sheffield United in the first-leg of their play-off semi-final in May.

4 Luke McNally

Bristol City also have a few long-term injury absentees and former Burnley defender Luke McNally is among those, as he continues to deal with an ACL injury that means he should miss the opening couple of months.

3 Max O’Leary

Usual first-choice goalkeeper Max O’Leary is also missing the start of the season at Bramall Lane this weekend, as he is dealing with an ankle injury that means new signing Radek Vitek, on loan from Manchester United, could make a competitive debut for the Robins in South Yorkshire.

2 Cameron Pring

The other long-term absentee for Bristol City is full-back Cameron Pring, as he is unavailable for at least the opening couple of months of this season due to an ankle injury he sustained over the summer.

1 Joe Williams

Alongside Bird, Struber has also confirmed that the opening day trip north to Yorkshire will be too soon for Bird’s fellow midfielder Joe Williams.

The former Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic all-action midfielder is also dealing with an ankle issue but he, too, could be returning soon, as is the same with Bird.