Sheffield United’s Championship trip to Preston North End, which was originally scheduled to be played on Boxing Day before being postponed due to Covid-19, has been rearranged.

The game at Deepdale will now take place on Tuesday January 18, kicking off at 7.45pm.

Ryan Lowe, the Preston manager, admitted his side were “gutted” not to be playing United on Boxing Day after insisting his side had “no choice” but to call off the game after a spate of positive Covid-19 tests.

Although Lowe could not confirm how many of his players had either tested positive for Covid-19 or were having to self-isolate after coming into contact with a positive case, North End also had up to half a dozen players missing with injury before informing the English Football League that they would be unable to field a team to face the Blades.

United subsequently saw their clash with Hull City, scheduled for December 29, postponed for the same reason, having already been frustrated when QPR informed the league they too couldn’t raise a team to travel to Bramall Lane earlier this month.