Sheffield United face midfield concerns ahead of trip to West Brom

The improving Blades saw a four-match winning streak ended with the 1-1 draw against the Canaries at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night.

Wilder was left cursing the absence of key defensive-minded midfielder Sydie Peck with a calf injury, which the experienced boss described as "not looking good" with very little chance of being involved at The Hawthorns on Friday night.

United's issues were compounded by illness to Jairo Riedewald - the free signing star who has impressed in Yorkshire - and Sam McCallum.

It resulted in eight changes for the clash against lowly visitors Norwich, including a quicker-than-planned returned for Ollie Arblaster in midfielder after 13 months on the sidelines.

The hosts did briefly lead against Norwich as summer signing Danny Ings, the former Villa and Liverpool frontman, struck his first goal for the club in just a fourth start, but the visitors claimed a point through an own goal by Djibril Soumare, another rare starter for the Blades in midfield.

“Yes, it's not looking good,” Wilder said on midfielder Peck. “He's had a calf injury from the weekend rolling into Monday. I can't risk 'Blaster' for more than 60 minutes. That was the absolute max. Jairo would have played.

“I've got to say, it's been incredibly challenging in terms of decisions off the bench, who to put on and who to freshen it up and give us that freshness and impetus to take it away from them second half. It has been challenging from a tactical point of view as well.”

Following a dismal start to the Championship season under summer appointment Ruben Selles, returning boss Wilder has started to turn results around and the Blades are 17th, one place and two points below the Baggies heading into the clash.

A run of six games unbeaten has also contained victories over Leicester and the impressive 4-0 rout of Stoke at Bramall Lane last weekend.