Sheffield United: Ollie Arblaster injury update emerges ahead of Portsmouth | OneFootball

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has discussed Ollie Arblaster's injury after the midfielder missed the win over Derby.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has admitted the club still don’t know the severity of Ollie Arblaster’s injury after the midfielder missed the win over Derby County this weekend.

The 20-year-old has become a key figure for the Blades this season, as he had played every minute of their unbeaten league campaign so far up until the Rams’ visit this weekend.

Whilst he was undoubtedly missed, Sydie Peck impressed in Arblaster’s absence, as a Gustavo Hamer goal was enough to seal the points.

Ollie Arblaster injury latest

Of course, Sheffield United will be hoping Arblaster is back as soon as possible, with a trip to Portsmouth next up for Wilder’s men.

And, speaking to the Sheffield Star, Wilder revealed that they are waiting to assess the youngster in the coming days, who injured his ankle in an ‘innocuous’ incident.

“It was really innocuous, nobody was near him and the ball was over his head. He's backpedalled and all of a sudden he's on the floor and not in a great place at that particular moment. So we knew straight away.

“He's not a squealer, he's just gone down and turned his ankle over. So we've had it scanned and fingers crossed he gets through the next three or four days. He's a tough boy, and it was a big blow but I thought Sydie coming in was fantastic as well. I'm not going to give anything out but he's a tough boy and we'll try and get him back as soon as possible. We've got to get the swelling down and let it calm down in the next two or three days.”

Ollie Arblaster is a huge player for Sheffield United

Saturday’s win was proof that Sheffield United aren’t totally reliant on Arblaster, but there’s no getting away from the fact that he is a massive player for Wilder.

He has had the captain’s armband, and he has brought a real quality to the middle of the park with his ability on the ball, whilst he is also happy to work for the team and win his duels.

Perhaps the one criticism of the Blades compared to their promotion rivals is the strength in depth, as many would back their best XI to be able to compete with any Championship side.

However, if injuries do hit, they are lacking in certain areas, and that could be pivotal in what will be a fierce battle for promotion.

So, obviously, the club will be hoping that he can get back out training as soon as possible.

Sheffield United are looking to build momentum

As mentioned, the Blades are starting to tick along nicely as they try and hunt down the top two, and the win over Derby means they have recorded three victories on the bounce.

It wasn’t a vintage performance, but they are solid defensively and hard to beat, which gives them the platform to get results, and Hamer showed his class once again with the free-kick to win the game.

Without the two-point deduction, they would be third in the table, and Wilder should be pleased with how his side have gelled after a very busy summer window that saw a lot of big players leave.