Sheffield derby: Steve Bruce bemoans lack of quality after Sheffield Wednesday’s draw with Sheffield United

It is the third successive stalemate between the two city rivals.

Bruce, who began his managerial career at Sheffield United in 1998, felt there was a lack of quality from both sides.

"The intensity of the game, both sides got wrapped up in it," said Bruce. "These games are like cup finals.

"I think the intensity of the game; both sides got wrapped up in it," said Bruce. "We saw it with Everton and Liverpool on Sunday.

"These games are cup finals. They are great to watch and great spectacles but sadly sometimes they lack a bit of quality and that is what happened tonight."

Wednesday created arguably the best chance when Sam Hutchinson was denied from close range in the 65th minute by Dean Henderson.

Bruce, overseeing his first Sheffield derby, admitted: “From six yards, either side of the goalkeeper it goes in.”

But the 58-year-old refused to criticise Hutchinson for the miss, saying: “Sam has been terrific since I walked through the door. He epitomises everything we want."

Talismanic forward Fernando Forestieri was withdrawn at half-time due to a hamstring problem.

Bruce said: "It is a recurrence of a hamstring injury that has plagued him for a week and he is not comfortable with it. With muscle injuries, we have to be careful.

"It is a concern of mine that we are without 10 players.

"We can't seem to get Forestieri fit and that goes for a lot. It is something we will have to delve into because we have got far too many sitting in the crowd. It doesn't give me many options even though we have got seven strikers at the club. We have got two fit at the moment and that is not healthy."