Sheffield United boost as Ipswich Town nemesis set to miss out at Bramall Lane - but issues elsewhere for hosts
SHEFFIELD United's selection problems show no sign of abating ahead of Saturday's Championship home game with form side Ipswich Town - although the visitors will also have issues to contend with as well.
That said, they are all relative, with the Suffolk outfit, by common consent, having arguably the strongest squad strength in the Championship.
Former Hull City winger Jaden Philogene, who scored a hat-trick for the hosts in the reverse fixture, is out alongside fellow attacking duo Marcelino Nunez and ex-Middlesbrough forward Chuba Akpom.
Ipswich's squad is such that they possess the squad resources to cope.
The Blades, beaten 1-0 at Southampton on Wednesday night, remain without suspended duo Djibril Soumare and Japhet Tanganga, with key midfielder Jairo Riedewald also sidelined with a hamstring problem.
Defender Tyler Bindon, who missed out due to illness, will be absent again this weekend.
Loan winger Chieo Ogbene is unavailable against his parent club.
Speaking on Thursday, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna said he had heard nothing from United regarding the loanee's future, despite some claims that he isn’t in the club's plans.
Ogbene, who has recovered from a hamstring problem, was an unused substitute at Southampton.
Meanwhile, Blades chief Chris Wilder admits that his 17th-placed side must ‘fight their way' through another difficult period in their Championship season after losing on the south coast, their second consecutive reverse.
Wilder, who felt his side merited better, said: "It's a tough gig at the moment for everybody, losing the players we have done. But we've just got to fight our way through it and that's what we'll do."
United are just four points above the relegation zone.