Sheffield United make 'shock' training confession ahead of key clash with Norwich City

With the majority of his squad called-up by their respective countries during the international break, Paul Heckingbottom only welcomed the likes of Sander Berge, Iliman Ndiaye and George Baldock back to the Randox Health Academy yesyerday morning.

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Given the distances some of those had travelled - both Ndiaye and Ismaila Coulibaly were on duty in Africa - plans to stage a training session 48 hours before the trip to Carrow Road were shelved. With United’s push for automatic promotion from the Championship delicately poised, Heckingbottom admitted the situation was less than ideal although, given the fact David Wagner also saw members of his own squad spirited away for the recent round of friendlies and EURO 2024 and AFCON qualifiers, he insisted it must not be used as an excuse for a subdued performance.

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“They were all in on Thursday but not everyone trained then because of when their games were and where they were. So that left us with just one day.”

“We had more than half the lads away,” added Heckingbottom, whose second placed side are three points above Middlesbrough in third. “So the main priority then was to make sure we got them all back fit.”

City are seventh and hoping to make an immediate return to the Premier League via the play-offs.

Tracing United’s journey through the pause in the domestic fixture schedule, Heckingbottom said: “The lads here came in, worked hard, and then got away a bit earlier to spend time with their families, because that’s important.”