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Shock Ched injury stuns Sheffield United
SHEFFIELD United striker Ched Evans could miss the rest of the season after suffering a suspected fractured collar bone during last night's defeat at Peterborough.
Craig Mackail-Smith's first-half goal saw Kevin Blackwell's side become only the sixth team to be beaten by the Championship's bottom club in the league this season and continue their miserable run of form away from home.
CLICK TO READ: Peterborough 1 Sheffield United 0 - MATCH REPORT
But, with a resurgent Queens Park Rangers set to visit Bramall Lane on Saturday, even more worrying for Blackwell was the sight of Evans, a 3m summer signing from Manchester City, sustain an injury which, if diagnosed correctly, will rule him out until next term. Admitting his plans for the meeting with QPR lie in tatters after midfielders Jamie Ward and Lee Williamson joined the Wales international in the treatment room Blackwell, who also saw Finland's Toni Kallio withdraw from the trip to London Road, said: "Ched looks as if he's done his collar bone and if that's the case then we won't be seeing him again until after the summer. It's a massive blow.
"Jamie and Lee have both tweaked their hamstrings so they're huge doubts while Toni couldn't play because of a calf strain.
"We've had a massive fitness crisis before and now we've got one again because people like Gary Naysmith and Derek Geary are also out.
"It couldn't have come at a worse time and now my biggest concern is being able to get a team out (for QPR)."
United, who included youngster Matt Lowton on the bench at Peterborough, have been dealt a series of crushing blows since losing May's play-off final at Wembley and after months of attempting to defy the odds they now appear to have taken their toll.
Blackwell's team looked mentally and physically exhausted as they trooped disconsolately off the pitch after Mackail-Smith had condemned them to a seventh straight defeat on the road.
But, despite refusing to condemn those supporters who made their displeasure known, the manager did appeal for "pragmatism" after results elsewhere meant they remained ninth in the table.
Having been forced to patch-up his injury plagued squad with a steady stream of loan signings, Blackwell said: "The one thing I always admitted we couldn't cope with - right from day one - was injuries.
"Why they keep on coming I honestly don't know but they're back again now.
"We started badly and our decision making could have been better but, to be fair to the lads, I reckon to still be in with a chance given everything they've had to go through deserves applauding."
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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Wind direction: East
