Sheffield United defender John Egan ruled out for eight weeks with dislocated toe

The Premier League season has only 13 weeks to run.

The Republic of Ireland international, a mainstay at the heart of the Blades' three-man defence for the past three seasons who has often captained the side in 2020-21, has been sent for an operation after picking up the injury in a block tackle during Monday's defeat at West Ham United.

John Fleck missed the trip to East London having been hospitalised at the weekend and will also be missing from Saturday's Premier League game at Fulham.

“After thorough tests on John, we’ve got the results back and he is being monitored,” said Wilder. “There's no real news regarding his return. We're disappointed on that one.

“John Egan is out for eight weeks, he's going to need an operation on a dislocated toe. Once again, it wasn’t self-inflicted in terms of it being a soft tissue injury. It's a situation where John's gone to block a shot and you saw the reaction of a committed, brave player straight away – we all knew he was in trouble.”

Sheffield United's side was extremely settled last season but injuries – as well as form – have not made that possible this season, and a push for Europe has been replaced by a relegation battle.

“When people are trying to analyse the difference between this season and last season that's the biggest one,” said Wilder.

“For the majority of teams promoted into the Premier League, with some exceptions, need to be built defensively, be solid and have a structure about them and we certainly did that.

“Last season we had the fourth best defence record and I don't think it's all about the (change of) goalkeeper either.

“Aaron Ramsdale has had more saves to make than last season (when Dean Henderson was in goal). Because of the results there's a lot of assumptions made about the two goalkeepers but my analysis is to get to the fourth best defensive record, there has to be a continuity of selection.

“Every Sheffield United fan can name last season's back eight in their heads.

“The chopping of changing of bringing new players into positions, six players in (the injured) Jack O'Connell's position, issues with (George) Baldock, (Enda) Stevens, Fleck, (John) Lundstram has had situations and the continuity and the flow is affected.

“When people talk about losing one or two established Premier League players I really scratch my head. We're not an established Premier League team and we've lost eight or nine big players for us and it's going to make it hard for us to have that continuity, experience and momentum.”

Longer-term absentees Sander Berge and O'Connell are making good progress, with the latter stepping up his training after being sent for a knee operation in October.

On Berge, who has a tendon injury, Wilder said: “He's off-site at the moment having some specialist treatment in London, no stone uncovered in terms of getting Sander back as soon as possible in a sensible way.

“The attitudes of him and Jack O'Connell are superb, they want to get back and help the group but there has to be a sensible decision on them.

“Jack's out on the grass and we're hoping he can step up his return to training and playing in the next couple of weeks. Fingers crossed he clears that process and the same with Sander but both attitudes are brilliant.”

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