Sheffield United: Chris Wilder is not worried about unwanted break

Four days after facing them in the Checkatrade Trophy, United were scheduled to meet Jon Whitney’s team again this afternoon. But the League One fixture, which could have seen Wilder’s players move to within three points of leaders Scunthorpe, was rescheduled at the visitors’ request due to international call-ups.

Despite seeing three members of his own squad selected to represent England at under-20 and under-19 level, Wilder would have preferred to match to go ahead but said: “There are pluses and minuses for not having a game this weekend. I would have loved to have a game to keep us going in front of 20,000 people. We would have liked that but we get on with it.”

“But, on the flipside, there are a couple carrying knocks. So, that helps. But, personally, I would have loved to have played. We could have put ourselves in a good position.”

United, who climbed to fourth after stretching their unbeaten run in the competition to seven games at Fleetwood last weekend, must wait to discover if Harry Chapman and Louis Reed report back to Bramall Lane unscathed after being named in the under-20 squad which faced Germany last night. Both played 75 minutes of Wednesday’s victory over Holland and are also expected to feature against the USA at Rochdale on Monday.

Ramsdale travelled with the under-19’s to Zagreb for a friendly with Croatia yesterday and could win his latest cap when Keith Downing’s side host Bulgaria at Adams Park next week.

Walsall will now visit South Yorkshire on Tuesday 29 November (kick-off 7.45pm). The trip to Coventry City, which had been set to go ahead on Saturday 17 December, has been moved forward to December 15 (kick-off 7.45pm) after being selected for live television coverage.