Sheffield United’s weary players will be asked to go again tomorrow evening for their third game in the space of six days. Fellow promotion chasers Sunderland are in town for a mouthwatering clash unsurprisingly picked up by the Sky TV cameras for live broadcast.
But that has sparked concern at both clubs about the fixture congestion at a key time of the season, with the Blades’ already-thin squad stretched further by the absences of Anel Ahmedhodzic (suspension) and Oliver Arblaster (injury). Kieffer Moore is also out while Sunderland boss Régis Le Bris is unlikely to risk left-back Dennis Cirkin after his recent wrist surgery.
Blades boss Chris Wilder shuffled his pack somewhat in midweek against Oxford United with a couple of his youngsters giving him welcome food for thought ahead of a huge clash at the top of the Championship table. We tasked our man with picking the side he’d send out against Le Bris’ men - has he got it just about right or would you do anything differently?
1. Michael Cooper 8
Went into the game with seven clean sheets on the bounce on home soil and faced its biggest threat when Robinson brought down Watson but Cooper bailed his skipper out with a superb save down to his left to deny Roberts. His only other real save of note was one down to his left from Isidor but he was composed in everything he did | Getty Images
2. Alfie Gilchrist 7
Started at right-back and ended in the middle after Souttar's red card, which may be the role he plays at West Brom at the weekend with Ahmedhodzic also out. Some great blocks down the right against Sunderland's lively threats | Sportimage
3. Harry Souttar 3
Didn't even make half-time as a brainless second booking saw him dismissed in injury time. Already walking a tightrope after bringing down Isodor earlier in the game and only he knows what he was thinking when he pulled the Sunderland man's shirt and gave the ref a decision to make, with Isodor inside his own half and with so far to go to get to Cooper's goal. Gives Wilder another defensive headache for West Brom with Ahmedhodzic still out | Sportimage
4. Jack Robinson 6.5
Got his challenge on Watson wrong as the Sunderland youngster broke free but will have been the most relieved man in the stadium when Cooper bailed him out. But recovered from that well with a composed display including a few timely blocks including a good foot on Isidor when even slightly mistiming it would have meant further trouble. Great mentality to not go under after the penalty incident, a true leader | Sportimage