Sheffield United defender Jack O'Connell suffers a major blow in his bid to recover from injury

Although O’Connell was not under consideration for tomorrow’s FA Cup tie against Plymouth Argyle, Wilder confirmed he was expected to return before the end of the season after acknowledging coaching staff would include him in the updated squad United will shortly present to the Premier League.

The 26-year-old’s name will still be included on that roster, but Wilder confirmed he travelled to London this morning in order to be assessed by the surgeon who operated on him earlier this term when a decision was taken to withdraw him from first team action. It emerged at the time that O’Connell had been playing through the pain barrier and managing the condition for much of his professional career.

“Jack has suffered a little bit of a set-back,” Wilder explained. “We knew that would happen, because his situation isn’t straight-forward. We know we have to be really careful with him.

“We have to manage his load, as it were, and it was always a difficult assessment to make (about when he will return to action).

“It’s a set-back for us and, more importantly, it’s a set back for the boy. He’ll come through it. It was never, like I say, going to be straight forward.”

One of the most influential players at Bramall Lane and a key member of the starting eleven which finished ninth in the table after being promoted from the Championship two years ago, O’Connell’s absence has been cited as a major factor behind United’s struggles since September’s return to action.

Now at the bottom of the rankings and 12 point adrift of safety, the third round win over Bristol Rovers was their first of the present campaign.

Ben Osborn, Oli McBurnie, Jack Robinson and Lys Mousset are also set to miss the meeting with Argyle, as fitness issues continue to cast a shadow over United’s attempts to not only set-up a fifth round meeting with either Millwall or Bristol City but also survive at the highest level. However, Jack Rodwell is expected to feature against Ryan Lowe’s side, after receiving the all-clear from medical staff.

“Ben and McBurnie aren’t ready,” Wilder said. “They’ve not gone through the clearance sessions needed to join the group.”

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