Sheffield United boss explains John Egan Everton decision amid Ireland injury concern

Paul Heckingbottom explained his decision to substitute club captain John Egan during Sheffield United’s entertaining draw with Everton at Bramall Lane yesterday. Egan made way after 68 minutes of the 2-2 stalemate, after going down for treatment in the first half.

Arnaut Danjuma’s second-half goal dragged Everton back level as both sides registered their first point of the Premier League season. Earlier, Cameron Archer’s first strike for the club and a Jordan Pickford own goal saw the Blades overturn Abdoulaye Doucoure’s early opener to lead 2-1 at half-time.

Pickford redeemed himself with a stunning double save in the 99th minute to prevent Oli McBurnie winning it for the Blades but there was more defensive concern for the Blades with Egan and Yasser Larouci both making way with injuries. “Yasser took a bang, Egs took a bang,” Heckingbottom revealed afterwards.

“Generally when it’s a bang, you hope that they’ll run it off in a couple of days. Egs was knee and ankle but he didn’t feel his knee in the second half, he would have carried on but I could see it was affecting him and it was my call really. When you’ve got Bash to come on and move Anel inside, we’re not weakening at all. So it was the sensible thing to do.”

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Egan has been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for their games against France and the Netherlands over the international break, with United now facing an anxious wait to see how he reports back ahead of their next league game against Tottenham Hotspur later this month. “We can’t stop them from going away,” Heckingbottom added. “If Ireland want to see and assess him then they will. If he’s not fit, he doesn’t play and if he is, then he’ll play.”