Sheffield United sweat over duo ahead of Sheffield Wednesday clash amid Gus Hamer, Vini Souza concern

Sheffield United have not resigned themselves to being without loan pair Harry Clarke and Alfie Gilchrist for next Sunday’s Steel City derby clash with rivals Wednesday, although the pair won’t be fit in time to face Bristol City tomorrow. The pair have missed out recently with foot and ankle issues respectively, with midfielder Hamza Choudhury filling in at right-back.

United were handed a couple more injury concerns ahead of the clash with Liam Manning’s Robins, who travel to Bramall Lane looking to further their own promotion ambitions after climbing to seventh in the Championship table. Key man Vini Souza went off at half-time of the victory over Preston North End with a hamstring complaint, while fellow star Gus Hamer was also withdrawn later on after going down for treatment.

With two more crunch games in short succession coming up, it remains to be seen whether boss Chris Wilder is willing to take any risks with either man while Tom Davies is definitely out of both the Robins and Owls games, with the home clash with Coventry City after the international break pencilled in for his potential return to the Blades squad.

Asked if he may take the chance to rest a few players against Manning’s side, Wilder said: “I'm not sure about rested. We've got a couple of injuries to assess over the next 24/48 hours but I should imagine every club up and down the country, especially in the Championship, will have the same issues. We'll pick a team that will hopefully go and get a positive result.”

The latest on Alfie Gilchrist, Harry Clarke and Femi Seriki

Gilchrist and Clarke both returned to their parent clubs, Chelsea and Ipswich Town respectively, for treatment but have now returned to Shirecliffe, with the hope that one or both may return to fitness in time for the short trip to Hillsborough.

Youngster Femi Seriki played 45 minutes at right-back against North End after his own return from injury but was not in a position to start, meaning Choudhury may once again have to fill in in a slightly unfamiliar position as the Blades look to advance their promotion push after drawing level on points again with league leaders Leeds United.

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"Alfie is back with us, Harry is back with us as well because they both went to their parent clubs,” Wilder said. “So we'll assess them up to the weekend. Tom Davies won't be available for the weekend, so that rules him out for tomorrow night as well. The two boys won't be available for tomorrow night but there's a chance they could be for Sunday. We'll assess them through the week.”

United won the return clash between the two sides back in November, thanks to an equaliser from teenager Ryan One and then a 98th-minute winner from left-back Harrison Burrows. That game was also played in midweek before the Sheffield derby, with the Blades going on to claim the city bragging rights once more thanks to Tyrese Campbell’s winner at Bramall Lane.

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