Cardiff City v Sheffield United: Oliver Arblaster makes his full league debut

The teenage midfielder, who progressed through the visitors’ youth system before being drafted into Paul Heckingbottom’s senior squad, is among three changes the United manager has made for the match in south Wales.

With Oli McBurnie, Anel Ahmedhodzic and John Fleck all ruled-out, Chris Basham and Billy Sharp were also recalled to the starting eleven.

Intriguingly, Heckingbottom selected two goalkeepers - Adam Davies and Jordan Amissah - among his substitutes while Iliman Ndiaye made his first appearance since it was confirmed he would be travelling to the forthcoming World Cup in Qatar with Senegal. Davis is also heading to the Middle East, after being included in Wales’ 26 strong party.

Fleck was among United’s absentees, with Heckingbottom suggesting on Thursday that the Scot did have a chance of featuring despite undergoing a scan on the knock he suffered during the defeat by Rotherham. Initially Fleck was said to have damaged a calf muscle. But it later transpired that he had taken a blow to the exact part of the leg he fractured earlier this term.

McBurnie, previously of Swansea City, had also been mooted as a potential starter; even though, already suffering from a hernia, he turned an ankle against United’s neighbours. But like Fleck and Ahmedhodzic, he was deemed unable to feature.

Ahmedhodzic had been placed in quarantine after being taken ill in midweek. Again, United had hoped he would recover in time to play.

MORE: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/sheffield-united-iliman-ndiaye-unlikely-to-consider-new-contract-until-after-world-cup-3914258