SHEFFIELD United manager Chris Wilder has been left to rue an untimely blow following the news that midfielder Jairo Riedewald will miss the club’s next two games with a hamstring issue.

The ex-Crystal Palace man, impressive since joining on a short-term deal last year, suffered the injury in training ahead of last weekend’s trip to Charlton Athletic.

He will miss Wednesday’s trip to Southampton and the weekend game against Ipswich, although he may return for the Millwall match on January 31.

Wilder said: “He's going to be out for a couple of weeks. So it’s capped off a really disappointing and strange 48 hours in the place where we were with everybody fit and everybody raring to go (pre Charlton)…

placeholder image — Chris Wilder. Picture: PA:

“Jairo has been involved in that (good league run before). A really important part of that. And the last action of a regular small-sided game that we have – match day minus one - he's gone to try and keep a ball in and back-heeled it and then went down.

"So he's not going to be available for the next couple of weeks. Which was a blow, a big blow. Especially in the game that we were going to be playing (at Charlton).

"And from the situation regarding the (Ollie) Arblaster situation. Sydie Peck and Tom Davies. It was a big blow to miss him.

"And it will be tomorrow night and into the weekend. So let's see what happens after the Ipswich game. And hopefully he'll be available for the Millwall game.”

Jaïro Riedewald missed the defeat at Charlton Athletic.

Meanwhile, Wilder says the club will make a ‘pretty late call’ on Tyler Bindon, who came off at the break last weekend due to illness.

The Blades boss has also expressed his disappointment after confirmation that the appeal against Japhet Tanganga's red card at the Valley was unsuccessful.

He and Djibril Soumare will both be suspended for three matches, with the Blades playing the second half of Saturday’s game with nine men.

Soumare was shown a straight red card for a late challenge that resulted in Harvey Knibbs leaving the pitch on a stretcher.

Tanganga was then shown a straight red in first-half injury-time as he went into an aerial challenge with Sonny Carey.

Wilder, who repeated his call for VAR to be brought in the Championship, said: “I am not surprised. I am obviously disappointed of course.

"For me, it's a yellow card. It's a committed challenge. He's committed to going and attacking the ball. He's mistimed the jump and hasn't gone to elbow anybody and he’s just mistimed the challenge.

“I think, always, everybody's looking for consistency. I don't know where to start on this.

"Whether (it’s) consistency in our game, (or) looking at other games or looking at past games in the Premier League, looking at VAR or looking at the strength of our division in terms of the prize at the end of it, looking at the play-off final, in terms of them bringing in VAR.

“The reason for bringing VAR in was ‘we don't want a decision to alter the journey of a game where there's so much at stake.’"

Wilder is keen on bringing in new recruits ahead of the closure of the window, with the club among several being linked with Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka.

On whether there is any imminent transfer activity, he said: “It's going to be a struggle for Wednesday now, but we're working our way towards the weekend.

"We're after someone in the middle of the park, so there's a list of players that are there. Some hit the spot and some are miles off.

"Last week, we worked incredibly hard to try and get them over the line and we are still working incredibly hard to improve.”