Sheffield United: Paul Heckingbottom makes an important confession about Covid-19 and its effect on some of his players

After several of their matches over Christmas and New Year were rearranged, ostensibly because of outbreaks of the coronavirus among opposition teams, United will be forced to contest a Championship match every 3.5 days during a near five week period starting early next month.

The Star highlighted many of the issues caused by footballers who decide against ensuring they are medically protected ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers, where 11 of those under Heckingbottom’s command were unavailable for selection because of illness, injury or isolation restrictions.

Although being jabbed does not prevent someone from contracting Covid-19, those who have not received at least two doses are required to miss more training sessions under government guidelines.

Heckingbottom also insisted he had noticed a difference in performance levels between those who have accepted the vaccine and those who haven’t when they return to work following positive tests.

“The majority of them, we’ve seen a difference in terms of how people have suffered in terms of symptoms and illness,” he said. “I’m not an expert but, from what you read and hear, the (Omicron) variant seems to be milder if you like but people are still carrying it over - even when they are ‘fit’ and available and out of isolation.”

United are preparing for Saturday’s trip to Derby County 13th in the table after winning all three of their league outings since Heckingbottom’s appointment two months ago. Bramall Lane has experienced outbreaks of the disease over the past few weeks, with at least two defenders who would otherwise have started required to sit out the defeat at Molineux after either contracting it or coming into close contact with someone who has.

The situation threatens to not only complicate Heckingbottom’s selections for the visit to Pride Park, where they face a County side which has won three of its last four league outings but also forthcoming meetings with the likes of Millwall, Nottingham Forest and Preston North End, where United are scheduled to travel to Tuesday.

Unlike in Italy, the UK authorities have decided against making it mandatory for those taking part in professional team sports to be properly vaccinated. United have implemented a number of measures to try and limit the number of Covid-19 cases they experience, including tailoring their training sessions and beefing-up social distancing measures. However, although he refused to say so explicitly, it appears as if they will refuse to pressurise members of their playing staff to comply with a request for every adult in the UK to take a vaccine.

Nevertheless, as they attempt to regain the Premier League status they surrendered last term, it would be a surprise if the matter is not factored into their plans during the transfer window - with at least some consideration given to the vaccine status of potential new signings before deals are processed.

“In terms of coverage, I think we’ve got three or four maybe who haven’t,” Heckingbottom continued. “We fully respect people and the decisions they make regarding the virus.”