Leicester City v Sheffield United: Speed hopeful Reid will be able to offer Blades creative input for longer loan stay

ANDY REID is in contention for a first start for Sheffield United against Leicester City tonight with the Blades desperately seeking a creative spark to lift them away from the relegation zone.

Reid has so far been restricted to just a 33-minute cameo against Coventry City since his arrival on loan from Premier League Sunderland 12 days ago.

The Republic of Ireland international picked up a hamstring strain in his first full week of training last week, forcing him out of a reunion with his former Black Cats boss Roy Keane last Saturday as United suffered their fifth home defeat of the season against Ipswich Town.

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Reid's injury also prompted Gary Speed to order a review of the club's practices. Blades manager wants to root out the cause of the high number of short-term injuries his small tonight, although Jamie Ward is out. "We'll just see how Reidy goes and take it from there."

United have lost their last three games and face a Leicester side re-energised since the appointment of former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson.

The Foxes have climbed out of the relegation zone and above the Blades since the Swede's appointment, with Speed's men now flirting dangerously with the bottom three.

Yet the former Wales international, who is in only the third month of his managerial career, believes the spirit of the players and their never-say-die attitude will help them climb away from danger.

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"We've had a bad run of results but their attitude and desire to do well is the only thing I need to keep my spirits up," said Speed.

"I'm a very positive person anyway. But I can never question the players for giving up.

"We can have a go at them on certain things and different things but we can't have a go at them for chucking the towel in because that's never happened, even when we got beaten 4-0 by Scunthorpe – we were still bombing forward and trying our best.

"As long as they have that in their locker, to never give up, which I know they all have, I'm sure the results will turn."

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To hasten that, Speed's decision to review training practices in light of the increased injuries illustrates the broad view he is taking to transforming the Blades' fortunes.

He said: "We've got a small squad and when we get injuries it hurts us. We've got to do everything we can to limit those injuries, it's the same with suspensions.

"We'll look into the routines we do, but we'll look at other things as well; the pitches, the weight regimes. We'll leave no stone unturned in an attempt to come up with a reason why we keep getting muscle strains."

Last six games: Leicester DWLLWW, Sheffield United LDWLLL.

Last time: Leicester 2 Sheffield United 1; December 26, 2009; Championship.

Referee: P Gibbs (West Midlands)