The welcome headache facing Chris Wilder at Millwall as Sheffield United hampered by schedule once more

Chris Wilder is expected to shuffle his Sheffield United pack this week as the punishing Championship schedule once again begins to bite. The Blades play three times in the space of six days for the second consecutive week, with a long trip to Millwall on Wednesday night followed up by Saturday’s home clash with Plymouth Argyle.

United’s squad will be bolstered by the returns of Harry Souttar and Anel Ahmedhodzic from suspension while the potential injury absence of Tyrese Campbell, struggling with a back issue, could be tempered by Kieffer Moore’s availability after a calf injury. The likes of Sam McCallum and Jamie Shackleton, who have primarily performed squad roles since arriving at Bramall Lane in the summer, could receive some more first-team exposure this week as Wilder looks to balance the challenging demands of the Championship around the festive period.

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“I'm delighted if I've got really tough decisions,” he admitted. “The hardest part of my job is keeping all the boys onside and involved. Which we do. I've always felt that's a massive part of my job as well. From the off, that comes from their personality and their characteristics. And the messages that we set out at the start of the season.

“That this isn't going to be 11, 12, 13-man effort. It's going to take everybody. And this week is a prime example. Yet again Millwall have a day on us, Plymouth will have a day on us. The schedule is against us again. But we're going to have to get through it.

“The message all week has been that the majority of them will get minutes through these next two games. And it's important that the players that haven't been involved stay as focused as the ones that have been playing the majority of the games.”

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While Souttar is likely to return to the side, which would also allow Alfie Gilchrist to go back to his position this season at right-back, Wilder has another dilemma over who partners him against Neil Harris’ side at the Den. Ahmedhodzic cemented his place on the left of defence after skipper Jack Robinson’s untimely injury earlier in the campaign but Robinson has impressed in the Bosnian’s suspension absence and may keep his place.

“We're talking to the players when we pick a team, but my door's always open to those players,” Wilder continued. “We’ve got some good players who have not played a lot of minutes but are desperate to get into the team. Yet again it goes back to recruitment and the messages we talk to them about. There are no guarantees in football, and there are no shoo-ins.

“The skipper was out of the team for a long time but now he's in and playing really well, and that's an example. I've got a big decision to make at centre-half. Kieffer coming back in as well. He was a big signing for us in terms of stature and experience. We missed four of our most influential players [at West Brom in Sunday], four internationals in their own right at different levels.

“You can't squeeze everyone into 11 but there'll be changes this week, definitely on Wednesday night and definitely on Saturday, because of the schedule. Yet again we're feeling it a little bit because of the Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday scenario. But these are all tests of a successful side and if you want to be successful, you've got to come through it.”