Sheffield United striker may undergo another operation in latest injury blow since arriving

Brewster, United’s record signing, underwent an operation on a hamstring issue that prematurely ended his campaign back in January and made his comeback in the summer, looking particularly sharp in front of goal during United’s pre-season programme. But he suffered another setback earlier late last month when he came off the bench at West Bromwich Albion and limped off shortly after, after pulling up and clutching the back of his other leg. Brewster appeared to be close to tears as he left the pitch.

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Brewster’s absence is mitigated by the superb form of strike pair Oli McBurnie and Iliman Ndiaye, who go into this evening’s South Yorkshire derby against Rotherham with six goals between them in United’s last three games, but is another significant blow for the youngster as he battles to finally establish himself at Bramall Lane following his big-money move to South Yorkshire two years ago.

“They’re providing a good partnership,” Stuart McCall, United’s assistant manager, told The Star of McBurnie and Ndiaye. “But we’re going to need everyone as the season goes on, and everyone’s pushing each other on at the top end of the pitch. We’re really disappointed for Rhian, who’s having to have an operation I believe. Sharpy’s desperate to get a goal and get up and running but he’s playing his part on and off the park. In the forward areas, it’s great to see [McBurnie and Ndiaye] both at the top of the scoresheet.”

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Pressed further on that Brewster operation prognosis, the former Scotland international added: “Possibly, it’s not 100 per cent yet but it’s something that they’re still debating on. It’s one of those things, it might be a route they go down. I’m just sort of surmising that may be the case.

“But it’s always the case with an injury like this, where you take the risk of resting and recuperating. Look how unfortunate we were with Jayden [Bogle]. He has his op and then has to have a bit of metalwork taken out again. We’ve been so unfortunate.

“But looking at the top end of the pitch, it’s just unfortunate for Rhian with his setback. I sat here probably eight weeks ago and talking about Oli, saying he just needs gametime. And four weeks later it was the same message over Rhian.

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“He just needs to be on the park and he’ll score goals because they’re both goalscorers. I’m sure later on in the season Rhian will go on to show that.”

Brewster’s latest blow is part of a wider injury trend across football, with Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell missing the World Cup because of a hamstring injury. Closer to home, United left-backs Rhys Norrington-Davies and Max Lowe have also suffered hamstring damage, with Norrington-Davies also ruled out of Qatar having been surely been destined to form part of Rob Page’s Wales squad.

"Unfortunately it's part and parcel of football at the moment, especially hamstrings,” McCall said. “It’s the way the game's played at the minute. We keep looking back and asking: ‘Is there something we’re doing wrong at the minute?’ It's the number of games, the intensity, the pace of football these days.

"It’s just putting so much on them. And sometimes you're asking players to go again and go again and that’s when you need a bigger squad so you can rest players. Rhian’s was just so unfortunate.”

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