Sheffield United duo are monitored by doctors as injury situation goes from bad to worse

Heckingbottom defended his medical staff for initially allowing Baldock to continue before he was withdrawn just before half-time, confirming the wing-back passed the necessary on-the-pitch checks following a collision with Tyler Roberts before reporting his condition had deteriorated.

Although Bogle was not substituted under the new protocols, Heckingbottom, the visitors’ caretaker manager, revealed he also spent Saturday night under observation.

“The two lads are with the doctors being assessed,” he said. “He (Baldock) was fine to carry on. But then he reported things had changed, he had concerns about his vision, and so he had to come off.

“Jayden also took a bang and didn’t feel great. We didn’t take a risk, we wouldn’t take one, and so he just came straight off.”

The loss of Baldock and Bogle threatens to place even greater stress on United’s already depleted squad ahead of this weekend’s game against Arsenal. Although John Egan could be fit enough to start after recovering from a toe problem, Sander Berge is still “a couple of weeks away” from returning according to Heckingbottom. Jack O’Connell, Chris Basham, Billy Sharp, Jack Rodwell and Jack Robinson are also carrying knocks.

“It’s symptomatic of the season, the concussions,” Heckingbottom, who took temporary charge when Chris Wilder parted company with United last month, said. “But we can’t moan about it. That’s not going to do anything or solve anything. It means an opportunity has opened up for someone else.”

An early strike from Jack Harrison and Phil Jagielka’s own goal, either side of Ben Osborn’s equaliser, edged United another step closer towards being mathematically relegated as they sunk to their 24th loss of the Premier League season.

“We’d love to have players coming back,” Heckingbottom said. “Then we could change things around for the right reasons, freshen things up and have real competition. We can’t do that at the moment, but it is what it is. There’s nothing to be gained from moaning about it.”

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