Sheffield United have a number of players ruled out through injury ahead of Friday night’s crunch clash with Nottingham Forest.
The Reds make the trip to Bramall Lane this week to take on fellow play-off contenders the Blades in a six-pointer at the top end of the Championship table.
And the hosts already have several absentees for the big match, with boss Paul Heckingbottom providing an update on key defender Chris Basham prior to Forest’s visit.
The 33-year-old has missed games against Blackburn Rovers and Millwall, and has his knee in a brace after suffering an MCL injury earlier this month.
He will be sidelined when United face Steve Cooper’s side, too, but Heckingbottom hopes he won’t be ruled out for the entire rest of the season.
“Bash is in a brace at the minute trying to keep his leg straight and take all the risk out of it,” he told YorkshireLive.
“Hopefully he gets a quick recovery. No need for an operation or anything like that, we'll keep him progressing and bit by bit as he is able to do things we'll integrate him back in."
Basham had played every minute of every game under Heckingbottom prior to his injury.
The Blades already have ex-Red David McGoldrick, Jayden Bogle and Rhian Brewster out for the rest of the campaign.
Ahead of Friday’s encounter, Forest are ninth in the table, two points below United, in seventh, and three behind sixth-placed Luton Town.
“We’re still catching up. All we’ve got to do is look after our own house, and that’s by doing what we did today - attacking games, playing well and getting our own points on the board,” said Cooper, after his team's 2-0 triumph over Bristol City at the weekend.
“We can’t control what goes on elsewhere. I’ve not even seen what’s gone on elsewhere, to be fair.
“I’m really pleased with the players today. And we’re really excited now about going to Sheffield on Friday.
