The former England striker has already missed the first five games of the season following a minor knee operation and is desperate to get back into the fold.

However, with the Blades having won the last four games, Blackwell is under no pressure to rush the club's £4m record signing back onto the first-team stage.

The Blades manager also thinks that the threat of possibly losing their place to Beattie will serve to keep his other strikers on their toes.

Beattie, who scored 22 goals last season, was originally pencilled in for a place on the bench against Cardiff City tomorrow, but will now wait until after the international break and spend the next two weeks working on his fitness.

If everything goes to plan, the 30-year-old will be available for the Blades' next Championship game, away at Derby County on September 13.

Blackwell said: "James won't be ready for the bench on Saturday. He is still a little way off and, with the international week ahead, I don't have to force it through.

"If I was one of the other strikers, I would be looking over my shoulder right now," he added. "They know he is almost there and they know that, if they do lose their shirt, they could be out of the side for a long time.

"I want James to be fit, firing, and raring to go so that, when he does get back in the side, he keeps his place. However, he is also well aware he needs to earn the right to get back into the team."

Beattie warmed up with the rest of the Blades players on the pitch before the Carling Cup win at Huddersfield Town and was also put through a vigorous sprinting session by fitness coach Dean Riddle.

"All the other lads had the day off, but I wanted James to do some more work," confirmed Blackwell. "To be fair, he also wanted to be at the game. Now we plan to put two great weeks of pre-season training into him."

Summer signing Darius Henderson opened his account for the club against Huddersfield and striker Billy Sharp bagged a hat-trick in the last home game against Queens Park Rangers.

Danny Webber and Jon Stead are also in the queue for places in attack, but failed to impress when given the opportunity at the Galpharm Stadium.

Blackwell made a total of seven changes to his side but, against Cardiff tomorrow, will revert back to the side that won the last league game at Blackpool.

Expressing his disappointment at several individual displays, Blackwell said: "If you think you are a bigger club with better players and just need to turn up, it doesn't always happen.

"Lessons will have been learned because the minute we start thinking we have accomplished where we want to be, people will go past us.

"As a manager, sometimes you can be over-critical. Winning away from home is never easy so I am pleased that I could make seven changes and still go on and win. Equally, I am pleased that I can make seven changes again this weekend."

Midfielder Lee Hendrie was not involved against Huddersfield due to an infected foot.