Bristol City v Sheffield United: Durability making a difference as Blades put injury woes behind them

Yet another takeover saga – there have been optimistic murmurs Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad Al Saud could finally be on the verge of selling – forced manager Chris Wilder to cut corners with his summer shopping and leave his squad more exposed than he would have liked.

So far it has not showed.

Two defeats in a bad week as the Blades faced high-quality opposition when still grieving former player George Baldock are the only entries in their Championship L column. They put them right with consecutive 2-0 wins over Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers.

But this is the Championship and given how often teams play Saturday, then Tuesday, it is surprising how hard many find it to back up one good win with another. That is the challenge at Bristol City.

Giving the Blades a better chance is a much-improved fitness record.

At the peak of Wilder’s first spell as manager team news tended to revolve around just two positions – which strikers would be in front of Henderson, Basham, Egan, O'Connell, Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck and Stevens?

Reliability wavered after the Covid lockdown and during Paul Heckingbottom's 25-month tenure injury bulletins became interminable.

Tom Davies is working his way back to full fitness, youngster Sai Sachdev broke his leg in September and Rhian Brewster – emblematic of the problems of the Heckingbottom years – is a doubt, but Wilder should have plenty of options at Ashton Gate.

"Recruitment and availability are key, past injury records," he says. “(Alan) Shearer had an ACL when he was young (22) but it doesn't mean you have history in that department. It's not that we have to sign perfect human specimens.

"So is the load we put into the players. All credit goes to the sports science department and the detail in training, the time and intensity, the lead and build up.

"(Coach) Matt Prestridge is a really important part of that decision-making and all the boys in the sports science department – the physios, the doctors as well.

"Our success this season is keeping everyone fit and healthy.

"Modern-day footballers cover (big) distances, they have to be energetic, mobile and robust.

"Our midfield players have the ability to do that, whether it's Sydie Peck with the distances he covers, (Jamie) Shackleton, Vini (Souza) or Blaster (Oliver Arblaster).

"Recovery is huge for us as well and their attitude towards it."

So is know how to manage the treadmill.

"We have to have Championship experience, Jack Robinson's got it, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Sam McCallum," says Wilder. "Blaster hasn't really got it. He's a baby in terms of experience.

"Tyrese Campbell's got it, Rhian's had a taste of it, Callum (O'Hare) and Gus (Hamer) have Championship experience but quite a few haven't. We're trying to get Alfie (Gilchrist), Jez (Rak-Sakyi) and Harrison Burrows up to speed.

"They've got the attitude and mentality to do it."