Jayden Bogle joins Sheffield United's long injury list after unpunished tackle at Fulham

Manager Chris Wilder was angry at the time that goalkeeper Alphonse Areola's penalty-area tackle on the wing-back was not punished at Craven Cottage. Areola got a slight touch on the ball, but followed through heavily into Bogle's shins. Referee Martin Atkinson and fourth official Peter Bankes, who sent John Lundstram off in not dissimilar circumstances in the middle of the field at Brighton and Hove Albion decided neither a penalty nor a red card were merited.

Now Bogle has been ruled out of the Blades' three home games in a week, starting with Sunday's visit of Liverpool, one of six defenders missing.

“Jayden Bogle out, Jack Rodwell out, Jack Robinson out, Chris Basham out, John Egan out, Jack O'Connell out, Sander Berge out, Lys Mousset out, not available,” said Wilder, running through his list of absentees.

“One to two may be available in the next three weeks, possibly four of them six to eight weeks, maybe a couple of them out for the season and there's the rumbling on of the Jack O'Connell situation and the obstacles he has to overcome to get his career back on track (as he returns from knee surgery) is not straight-forward.

“I think there's been three players available to us all season that have not had issues and for any team that's a hug amount of players. For a team that's really struggling and has the challenges of a second season in the Premier League, that does affect us quite severely and harshly.

“The injuries have come in a place where we've been at our best over the last few years. You have to have a structure to play from but especially in the Premier League you need a settled, consistent side and we talk about the back eight or the back five and the five ahead of them, however you want to measure it up.

“We had one of the best defensive record last year and that allows us to get a foothold in the game and take those opportunities which we did last season.

“We've not had too many big injuries to the boys at the top of the pitch – Oli Mc has had his shoulder injury, Lys has had his issues, the skipper (Billy Sharp) had the (Covid-19) infection and David McGoldrick's had some issues as well.

“To only have three players not affected by injury and illness all season is a tough situation.”

Wilder is still raging about, “The 'in-control challenge' as I was told by the assessment I get back. It said it was in control, not reckless by the goalkeeper on Jayden and it has put him out for two weeks. I was delighted the boy wasn't out for a bigger period than that.”

Basham injured his hamstring in west London, and Wilder said his return date was “hovering between the three and four-week mark.”

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