Tests don't come tougher than Bramall Lane … for players or bus drivers

01/17/2025 02:00 AM

So it's an away match in the Championship and City are putting out basically whoever they can because we find ourselves in the middle of a suspension and injury crisis. There simply aren’t enough bodies.

Call me paranoid but I'm getting a sense of deja vu.

Johannes Hoff Thorup must be wondering when it was that he broke that mirror.

Given the unreliability of the resources at his disposal, I think he's done a fantastic job of drilling a style into a squad of ever-changing parts. It will only improve as the squad churns and Ben Knapper can bring in players to fit Thorup-ball and continue to show the exit to those who don't fit the philosophy.

As the injury crisis abates, inevitably things will start to knit together again. However, I'd be lying if I said I thought Bramall Lane was going to be the turning point.

Any team that couldn't find a spot for Anis Ben Slimane has to possess quality, and with Sheffield United in third and on the cusp of the promotion spots, we're unlikely to find more difficult opponents to travel to right now.

At least until we return to Yorkshire on Wednesday anyway.

Chris Wilder favours a 4-2-3-1 formation, with the occasional switching from the number 10 to a second striker.

In goal, Michael Cooper has earned rave reviews since joining from Plymouth and is often touted as being the best in the league. We'll get nothing for free from him.

At right back, Alfie Gilchrist has been top drawer on loan from Chelsea and is one of the league’s fastest and best recovery players. He'll face a much different challenge in Lewis Dobbin than he did Borja Sainz when we last faced them at Carrow Road, and it'll be an interesting match-up for pace.

At left-back, Harrison Burrows is yet another summer addition who has settled in and impressed. The former Peterborough man has a wand of a left foot and a good engine, although there are occasional question marks about his defensive positioning.

His backup is of a similar ilk in the shape of ex-Canary Sam McCallum, and Rhys Norrington-Davies is also still in the building and started in the cup on Saturday in a rotated Blades line-up, albeit at centre-back.

At centre-back, the giant Australian Harry Souttar is injured, so the starters are likely to be the experienced Jack Robinson and much-admired Bosnian international Anel Ahmedhodzic. Youngster Jamal Baptiste made a start in the cup last Saturday but is likely to be back on the bench this week. Another area of quality, even without Souttar.

In midfield, former Everton youngster Tom Davies and Arsenal academy graduate Sydie Peck are the most likely starters. Captain Ollie Arblaster has picked up a long-term injury that will see him out for pretty much the season, with highly-rated Brazilian Vinicius De Souza, also struggling for fitness at the moment.

Youngster Billy Blacker also started in the cup so will likely be a bench option behind Davies and Peck. If there is a weaker area of the United team, this would be it – with the strength and power of Arblaster and De Souza missing – but given City are also without starting midfielders, it's unlikely to be an area where we can take advantage.

On the left side of attack, Wilder favours Gus Hamer, who made his name as a robust central midfielder for Coventry, but who has the skill set and tenacity to succeed anywhere on the pitch.

On the right, Crystal Palace loanee Jesurun Rak-Sakyi was mightily impressive in the first half of the season but is another to have picked up an injury, so youngster Andre Brooks – who gave Ben Chrisene a tough time at Carrow Road – will probably start again.

Striker Rhian Brewster can be something of a Swiss Army Knife in the Blades attack, starting from out wide, in that second striker role, or even as the main forward.

In the number 10 role, former Coventry man Callum O'Hare is having an impressive season and, if he's fit, will start.

Up front, United have had further injury issues with usual starters Kieffer Moore and Tyrese Campbell, so youngster Ryan One has started the last two games. He's likely to be backed up by Brewster and another youngster, Louie Marsh.

There has been talk of Blades’ interest in both Ben Brereton-Diaz and Tom Cannon, but the latest reports suggest a move for either would be unlikely to happen in time for either to play tomorrow.

Given the absence of starters of the quality of Souttar, Arblaster, De Souza, Moore and Campbell, there are worse times to play Sheffield United, but I fear our patched-up troops may be no better off.

While they are limited up front, Brewster, Brooks, Hamer and O'Hare are still all capable of causing problems, and I think we'll do well to keep them at bay in front of an undoubtedly raucous Bramall Lane.

Win the midfield battle and we'll give ourselves a chance of coming away with something, but this is a team that doesn't give away presents and we'll have to improve our attacking efficiency if we're going to break them down.

It could be a long old Saturday.