Paul Heckingbottom issues injury update on senior Sheffield United player

Sheffield United head coach Paul Heckingbottom has confirmed that veteran striker Billy Sharp is set for a scan on a hamstring injury this week – but has refused to talk about a potential time-frame for his return.

The 36-year-old has been in fine form for the Blades this season after featuring just 16 times in the Premier League during the 2020-21 campaign.

Sharp has featured in all of United’s 38 Championship matches this season, scoring 14 times and also providing seven assists.

That run of matches could potentially be set to come to an end though following the upcoming international break as the striker hobbled off midway through the second half of Saturday’s South Yorkshire Derby clash against Barnsley at Bramall Lane.

The severity of the injury is not yet known, with Sharp set to undergo a scan this coming week to determine the extent of his problem, but Heckingbottom is hopeful that it is nothing more than a twinge that forced his captain off.

“[It’s] his hamstring, so obviously I’m concerned,” Heckingbottom told the United media team.

“The plus I can take from it at the minute is, Bill’s experienced enough to know his body, so he knows it’s a muscle injury. He stopped straight away.

“He’s got time to settle down. Nothing in the next 48 hours – he’ll be icing, relaxing. Get him a scan later on in the week and then take it from there.”

The Verdict

For someone who is coming towards the end of his career, the fact that Sharp has featured in every single Championship match this season so far is a remarkable achievement.

Especially when he has such a pivotal role at the top end of the pitch, you’d be forgiven for thinking he’d need some breaks out of the team.

But Sharp has led by example and with 21 goal contributions