Ollie Arblaster injury won't 'derail' Sheffield United's Championship promotion bid, insists defiant boss Chris Wilder

EARLY days it may be, but Chris Wilder has seen enough of Sheffield United’s emerging class of 2024-25 to confidently predict that Ollie Arblaster’s serious knee injury won’t ‘derail’ their season.

Time has been called on a stellar year for the United captain – who has rapidly marked himself out to be one of the most promising young midfielders not just in the Championship, but across the country.

Arblaster, 20, ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the Steel City derby win over Sheffield Wednesday on November 10 and there are fears that he will miss the rest of the campaign.

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It’s an untimely blow for promotion-chasing United and their Sheffield-born talisman, but defiant manager Wilder has scotched talk that it will change the narrative of the season for his side, who are level on points with joint leaders Sunderland, heading into today’s lunch-time appointment at Coventry City.

Sheffield United captain Ollie Arblaster is pursued by former team-mate and current Leeds United defender Jayden Bogle during the Championship derby game at Elland Road in October. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.Sheffield United captain Ollie Arblaster is pursued by former team-mate and current Leeds United defender Jayden Bogle during the Championship derby game at Elland Road in October. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
Sheffield United captain Ollie Arblaster is pursued by former team-mate and current Leeds United defender Jayden Bogle during the Championship derby game at Elland Road in October. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.

Wilder said: “They are ‘brothers’ and all look after each other.

“I’ve said it regarding the George (Baldock) situation with that group of players and I’m getting the same vibe with the group here now.

“It’s about going about it in the right way and winning games and keeping this season going and not derailing us. One injury won’t derail us.

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“If people maybe do think that, it’s maybe a lack of respect to Jamie Shackleton, Sydie (Peck) and Tom Davies.

“Everyone has to stand up and get on with it. Gus (Hamer) can go and play in the middle of the park as well.”

Recent developments on the pitch have fortified Wilder’s belief that his squad have the mental wherewithal to cope with adversity, evidenced by their strong reaction to successive away losses at Elland Road and the Riverside Stadium. Four successive wins have followed.

The Blades chief, who also had to contend with being without target-man striker Kieffer Moore in the recent derby against the Owls – he is again a doubt today – added: "I talked at length last year about the group not handling disappointment very well.

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“You look at the situation around the Leeds United and Middlesbrough games (this year) and it speaks volumes for them as a group and will hold them in good stead going forward. Because there are going to be disappointments in this season.

“The biggest one is from an injury point of view in how you deal with that. We are going to miss a good player (in Arblaster). But all the clubs are missing players. Leeds United have had their injury problems and other clubs have. It’s how they get over it and get on with it and not use it as an excuse.”

Never one to dish out compliments readily, Wilder has seen enough in the ‘DNA’ of Arblaster to be safe in the knowledge that he will overcome a challenging period in a career which had hitherto only been going in one direction in 2024.

Wilder added: “He has to get on with it and over it.

“He’s strong enough. You know the mentality of the boy, for him to captain Sheffield United at 19 at Old Trafford and put in the performance he did last year and this year.

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“From a medical point of view, with the way everything has moved on and the support he will get, the medical treatment and advice he will receive here, he will come back stronger.

“There’s no issue from a physical point of view or mentality point of view.”

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