Sheffield United promotion hero misses out for Norwich City as they await Kenny McLean appeal verdict for Bramall Lane clash

McLean was shown a red card after an incident with Luton Town defender Tom Lockyer in Norwich’s defeat at home to Luton in midweek, with City launching an appeal against the subsequent suspension.

City are expected to find out today if McLean is free to face the Blades but they will be without ex-United loanee Kieran Dowell, who helped the Blades win promotion to the Premier League during his time at Bramall Lane.

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Dowell joined City from Everton in 2020 but will miss the meeting with his old side with laryngitis. “He's out,” City boss Dean Smith confirmed.

“He was struggling for breath before the game. Turns out he has come back in to see the doctor this morning and it is laryngitis. He wasn't feeling great yesterday, either. So that must have been the onset to that in the warm up on Tuesday. Other than that everyone else (on duty against Luton) has been training.”

Josh Sargent is available for City after being withdrawn in midweek, while a late call will be made on Sam Byram’s fitness after he missed out against Luton.

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“We still don't know about Kenny,” Smith added on McLean’s availability. “We've appealed it. I don't believe it was a red card. I've seen it back and the referee has guessed if he calls that a punch. It certainly isn't a punch and I've seen the footage, as you can imagine, many times over, hence us appealing the decision. So we're waiting on that.”

“I wouldn't want my player to be doing that and going down in that manner,” Smith continued. “Yeah, if somebody strikes you in the face then okay. I don't think that made him go down. Unfortunately, the referee from his position, he can't see the other side of the player's head. And he's guessed from his position he was in. And, you know, that's unfortunate for us.”

United have injury and availability issues of their own, with Rhys Norrington-Davies damaging a hamstring in midweek at Coventry City and joining an already oversubscribed treatment room at Bramall Lane.

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