Paul Heckingbottom issues Billy Sharp update ahead of Sheffield United’s clash v Stoke City

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom has revealed that Billy Sharp has insisted that he is fit enough to feature for the club in this weekend’s clash with Stoke City.

The forward sustained a hamstring injury during the Blades’ 2-0 victory over Barnsley earlier this month.

As a result of this issue, Sharp had to be substituted in the 65th minute of this fixture.

An ever-present for the Blades this season, the 36-year-old has played a key role in the club’s push for a play-off place in the Championship.

As well as scoring 14 goals at this level, Sharp has provided seven assists for his team-mates in 38 appearances.

Heckingbottom’s side will be looking to back up their recent triumph over the Tykes by sealing all three points in their showdown with Stoke on Saturday.

Currently fifth in the Championship standings, the Blades could potentially extend the gap between them and the chasing pack if they beat the Potters at the bet365 Stadium.

Ahead of this fixture, Heckingbottom has shared an update on Sharp.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (as cited by the Sheffield Star) about the forward, the Blades boss said: “If you speak to Bill, he’s fit.

“We were pleased he got a few days off and got the scan.

“We were glad we did it because it’s minor damage.

“We’ve been able to progress him quickly, he’s been on the grass running.

“We just want to make sure if we put him on the pitch he’s able to contribute, whether that’s for 90 minutes or 20 minutes.”

The Verdict

This is an extremely encouraging update for the Blades as they would have been fearing the worst when Sharp picked up this particular issue.

Having made a significant amount of progress in his road to recovery, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the forward