Sheffield United trio walking suspension tightrope ahead of Leeds United Championship clash

Three Sheffield United players are walking a suspension tightrope ahead of their meeting with Leeds United at Elland Road later this month. The Yorkshire rivals do battle after the international break but a trio of Blades players will need to be on their best behaviour over the next two games if they want to avoid a ban for the fixture.

Vinicius Souza is just one booking away from a one-match suspension having picked up four yellow cards in his first seven games. He has been a key player for Chris Wilder this term, starting every Championship game so far under the former Watford and Middlesbrough boss. The Blades host Swansea City at Bramall Lane on Wednesday night before welcoming Luton Town to South Yorkshire on Saturday afternoon. There is the possibility of Souza missing the match against Luton if booked on Wednesday, meaning he would then be eligible to face Leeds after the international break.

EFL suspension rules state that any player who accumulates five yellow cards before match week 19 will be issued with a one-game ban. 10 yellows before game-week 32 will result in a two-match ban while 15 bookings before a team’s 38th match will mean a three-match suspension.

Anel Ahmedhodzic and Gustavo Hamer, another two of the Blades’ key men, are also close to five yellow cards having been booked three times each so far. Hamer, who was targeted by Leeds in the summer with a £13m bid rejected by Bramall Lane bosses, has played in all seven of the club’s games while Ahmedhodzic has played in six Championship games after he missed the club’s 1-1 draw at Norwich City through illness.

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Wilder will hope those trio of players stay out of the referee’s book this coming week as he hopes to have his strongest possible squad available for the trip to Leeds. The Blades are hoping to have Oliver Arblaster back for their clash at Elland Road with the midfielder set to be absent for their fixtures against Swansea and Luton.

Manager Wilder said on Tuesday: “It’s week by week, really. Let’s get through the international break and see how it is, leading up to the two big games after the break. It’s not ‘serious’ serious. We’ve got to cope with it, and I believe we will cope with it.”

Leeds will be hoping for positive news on the injury front also after Ilia Gruev became the latest Whites player to sustain a problem. The midfielder was forced off during the 1-1 draw at Carrow Road on Tuesday night. Farke provided an update after the game and said: “It’s a knee injury but it’s too early to say how serious. We will know more after scans. It left us with a new look in the centre of the game but the players who came in did an excellent job.”