Sheffield United will likely be without Billy Sharp for this week’s clash with Middlesbrough after Paul Heckingbottom admitted it looked bad.
The Sheffield Star is reporting on Heckingbottom’s comments on Sharp ahead of the Boro game. And when it comes to Sharp, it doesn’t look like good news.
Sharp went off against Swansea with an ankle injury. After the game, Heckingbottom admitted things didn’t look good and with it being Sharp, he was concerned. And speaking to the Sheffield Star today, the Blades boss says while Sharp’s x-ray is clear, the striker is still in a protective boot.
“Billy’s a big doubt. He’s got a walking boot on, to take as much pressure as possible off that ankle. The X-ray was all clear but with the swelling, there’s certainly some damage. So we’ll look into that,” Hecky said.
“It’s a big loss, because of the position he plays as well and where we’re light. We lost Reda [Khadra] when we let him go back to Brighton and were unable to bring someone in. We brought Will [Osula] back and he fractured his jaw. Then Daniel [Jebbison] was banned for three games and then we lost Bill. Jebbo’s back but we’re light and Bill’s a big loss. For his character and ability as well. But hopefully it’s just for one game.”
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Sheffield United News View: Sharp injury a blow at the wrong time
While most would admit we don’t want to see Sharp starting every week nowadays, it’s still a big blow to have him missing right now.
As Hecky says, it might and hopefully will be for just one game. But these injuries can cause issues and Sharp might end up having to sit things out a bit longer.
With only really Daniel Jebbison in reserve, the forward line looks sparse. If one of Ndiaye or McBurnie was to also go down, then things would look very bleak indeed.
Of course, we’ve been here before. This season has been a nightmare for injuries so Sharp’s is just another bump in the road. But as it stands, it’s not exactly ideal.