Earlier this week, Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder reported to the media that the Blades has a fully fit squad for tonight’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa. However, the latest reports suggest that this might not be the case.
According to a report from The Telegraph, defender Jack O’Connell, who plays in the centre of a back five, will not be able to play tonight’s fixture due to a knee injury.
The severity of the injury remains unclear, although the 26-year-old is a confirmed absentee for the game at Villa Park.
This is a big blow for the Blades, as O’Connell has played every game of the Premier League season so far and this highlights that he has been vital to the side reaching seventh place in the Premier League.
The 26 year-old, who has been at the club for four seasons, has only missed seven league games since joining the side and is clearly much appreciated by Wilder.
For the knee injury to happen so close to kick-off is a worry, as it will mean that the Sheffield United manager might have to change his tactics or the way they set up, and these changes will be last-minute.
However, there is no doubt that Wilder is the type of manager who will have seen something like this happen many times before and there should be no worry as he will most likely have a Plan B already set up for emergencies like this.
Blades fans, how big a loss will O’Connell be for this evening’s clash? Comment below with your views!
