Sheffield United defender ruled out for up to a month

The summer arrival from Fulham injured his hamstring against Cardiff City on Tuesday night, and the initial prognosis is he will be out for between two to four weeks.

That means he will miss Saturday’s South Yorkshire derby with Barnsley at Bramall Lane, the earliest possible return being the trip to Sunderland on September 9, following the international break.

Blades boss Chris Wilder confirmed: “Richard Stearman is going to be out for two to four weeks.

“That’s a blow for us. He has been excellent, and exactly what we thought we would get with someone with Championship experience.

“It’s a blow but everybody else is going to be having injuries at this stage of the season.

“We are just going to have to get on with it.”