Billy Sharp to miss Sheffield United v Sunderland but Paul Heckingbottom unsure how long captain will be out for

Billy Sharp will miss Wednesday's Championship game at home to Sunderland, but manager Paul Heckingbottom says it is too soon to know how much longer he will be out.

Sharp made his first start of the season at home to Middlesbrough on Sunday, but came off with an ankle injury halfway through the 2-2 draw.

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Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom on Billy Sharp's injury at Middlesbroug...

Ben Osborn and Ciaran Clark will also miss the Blades' first midweek home game of the season, but Heckingbottom says they do not yet know how serious Sharp's problem is.

INCERTAINTY: Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom is waiting to hear on Billy Sharp's fitnessINCERTAINTY: Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom is waiting to hear on Billy Sharp's fitness
INCERTAINTY: Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom is waiting to hear on Billy Sharp's fitness
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"There's not a time-frame really," he said. "He's not had a scan yet because it's did swell up. He did it after ten, 15 minutes, he stood on an opponent's foot and rolled his ankle so the fact he played on, we knew it would swell up.

"At half-time when we went to look at it, it just seized up and there's no way he could have come out again.

"If we feel it needs a scan, which it probably will do, we'll scan in.

"He's certainly out tomorrow (Wednesday) but we'll take it from there. We've had a few real inocuous ones over the last few weeks, hopefully we've had them all at once."

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On his other new injuries, Heckingbottom said: "We've had Ozzy's ankle scanned and it's going to be a minimum two weeks. Clark will probably be sooner. We'll be led by his symptoms."

Newly-promoted Sunderland have made an unbeaten start to the Championship season, and Heckingbottom is expected a good test from his old club.

"They look to be in as good a place as they've been for a while," he commented. "They play with that exitement and energy that makes them dangerous and we have to be ready for that.

"I think they come with the same attitude and it will make for a real good game.

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"They had 37,000 (supporters) at their last game. They're mad about their football and they're here to do well. We just know they're coming with that attitude of a team promoted.

"My first take on them having watched the first three games is they're trying to approach it with no fear and have a go."