Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom says it “won’t be long” before captain Billy Sharp is back available for selection.

The 37-year-old has been sidelined since picking up an ankle injury in the 3-0 win over Swansea City earlier this month, and he has missed the subsequent defeats to Middlesbrough and Millwall. Asked about when Sharp could make his return to action, Heckingbottom said:

“He won’t be long, we’re not looking at a considerable period of time. He’s not going to be out for ages. That’s not what we’re looking at… We’ll be working hard with Billy. He’ll be working hard.”

It does seem as though there could be a chance that Sharp will be back on the bench for this weekend’s game against Watford. It should be pointed out, though, that the striker was pictured with a protective boot directly after he picked up the injury versus Swansea so it was clearly more than a minor knock.

Having the club’s talisman back in the squad could be crucial in rectifying the Blades’ poor recent form which has seen their promotion challenge falter. We shall see if Sharp is involved on Saturday.