Sheffield United: Why the 'gruelling' price of success at WBA could turn out to be a plus

Already scheduled to contest seven Championship fixtures over the course of the next 25 days, Paul Heckingbottom’s side will be forced to shoehorn yet another match into their diary should they reach the second round.

Given the demands that playing once every 3.12 days would place upon his squad, Heckingbottom could be forgiven for wishing the competition had been wiped from this season’s calendar. But McCall is adamant that keeping busy, ridiculously busy by some people’s reckoning, could actually benefit its push for promotion during the early stages of the season.

“The side of it,” he told The Star, “Is that it could actually help us get some of the lads back.

“The ones who are trying to get fit again, who have been out, having those games might actually turn out to be a benefit. You never know, that’s what might happen.”

“I’ve seen it, yes,” McCall continued, referring to the pile-up. “But there might actually turn out to be a positive side to it.”

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Previously of Scotland, Everton and serial trophy hunters Rangers, McCall confessed Heckingbottom is planning to make changes for the visit to The Hawthorns. But with James McAtee, on loan from Manchester City, set to make his debut during the meeting with Steve Bruce’s side and Reda Khadra poised to enjoy his first start since completing a temporary move from Brighton and Hove Albion, he pointed out this does not mean United will be fielding a weakened team.

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“I think people will look at who is out there and be surprised,” McCall said, pointing to the depth of options now at their disposal. “Just because we change things around a bit, that doesn’t mean to say that it’s less good.”

As well as McAtee and Khadra, United know they must select Max Lowe in order to keep the defender engaged. Having been the subject of bids by Olympiakos and Nottingham Forest in recent months - he won promotion during a spell on promotion at the City Ground last term, Heckingbottom recently explained to journalists that he wants the defender to stay.

But after starting their defeat by Watford on the bench, Lowe was then an unused substitute for last weekend’s win over Millwall. Given his situation, that is unlikely to have gone down well with either the 25-year-old or his representatives.

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Former United loanee Kyle Bartley and Alex Mowatt, who worked with Heckingbottom at his former club Barnsley, are expected to feature for West Brom while ex-Sheffield Wednesday favourite Adam Reach is also likely to take part against United.

Steve Bruce, whose men have drawn their opening two matches of the new season, will be tempted to include Turkish midfielder Okay Yokuslu in his first choice eleven.

“We could have been handed an easier draw, that’s for sure,” McCall said. “But then I’m sure Steve will be thinking exactly the same thing as well.

“We’ll have a really good side out, as you would expect, and we’re going there intent on winning.”

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