Sheffield United: Gameplans are now being decided by injuries as well as tactics, manager admits

But with his team scrambling to qualify for the Championship play-offs and only nine matches of their regular season schedule remaining, a lack of proven options is beginning to cause the 44-year-old and his coaching staff a serious headache during games.

“Listen, it’s great for them and their families,” Heckingbottom told The Star, after handing Will Osula his debut and Kyron Gordon another start at Bloomfield Road. “They’ll take a lot from it, the lads in particular, and the understanding and insights they’ll be getting will make them better players. Of course it will.

“But let’s get it right. And I mean this with no disrespect whatsoever because everyone knows how much I think of the young players we’ve got and how much I want this involved. I’d much rather they’d be getting in ahead of 14 or 15 senior boys.

“That isn’t what is happening right at the moment. We’re not in that position. Hopefully we will be soon.”

On Saturday, when Heckingbottom’s hometown club Barnsley make the short journey to Bramall Lane, Gordon, Kacper Lopata, Oliver Arblaster, Nickseon Gomis and Osula could all be involved again as United attempt to regain sixth-place in the table.

Gordon, aged 19, has featured in four of their last five outings after centre-halves Chris Basham, Ben Davies and his fellow loanee Charlie Goode all succumbed to injury in recent weeks. With wing-backs Jayden Bogle and Enda Stevens also ruled-out of action, Heckingbottom’s defence has borne the brunt of the fitness issues which are threatening to hijack United’s push for promotion.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Lancashire, Heckingbottom calculated “around half” of his side is now either out for the remainder of the campaign or unlikely to feature again until the closing stages.

With eight senior appearances for United on his CV, young striker Daniel Jebbison was United’s second most experienced outfield substitute last night. The third, Lopata, has made only two.

“It would be nice to have the luxury of switching around things a little more sometimes, especially at the moment,” Heckingbottom said. “We are where we are though, and the boys will be improving and benefiting from being in and around the rest of a group on these gameday situations.”

Gordon, who worked extensively with Heckingbottom at under-23’s level before November’s managerial reshuffle, now appears to be one of United three first choice centre-halves although Davies is expected to return as soon as he recovers from a calf problem.

“Kyron, stepping in, he’s shown what he’s all about and he’s done well,” Heckingbottom said. “That will be really good for him and you can see him improving.”

“With the situation as it is, though, we really do need some players coming back,” he added. “It would give us that ability to swap things around and react to things that are happening.”

MORE: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/sheffield-united-boss-makes-a-brutally-honest-admission-about-injury-situation-ahead-of-barnsley-clash-3615815