Veteran striker Dave Kitson spoke to the Sheffield Star ahead of his side's League One game against Carlisle at Bramall Lane on Easter Monday, Kitson saying the Blades have some great character in their squad:
"We’ve got some real character in our dressing room and I think that puts us at an advantage. I’ve always been the type of person who has thrived on adversity and the underdog status. Although we’re not the underdogs in this instance the principles remain the same. This is the first time in my career I’ve played for a club which is by far and away the biggest relative to the division it’s in. So, in these situations, you have to show character. The triumphs taste sweeter and that’s what gets you through. We know teams, especially coming to our ground, are giving everything to beat us, so, wherever we are, we must look to ourselves and match that.”
Meanwhile central midfielder Kevin McDonald told the Star:
“You need to look forward to this. You should be happy with the pressure because it means you’ve got a chance to achieve something and go up. I’ve been at clubs where, for different reasons, there’s also massive pressure and, let me tell you, that’s much better than being somewhere where nobody really cares what happens or what you do. I know what I’d rather have. The same goes for the rest of the lads.”
In team news for the Blades tomorrow they will five players missing through injury in Diego De Girolamo, Mark Howard, Lescinel Jean-Francois, Shaun Miller and Jamie Murphy. Italian striker De Girolamo is out with knee ligament damage, while goalkeeper Mark Howard has been sidelined for six months with a niggling thigh problem. Meanwhile left-back Lescinel Jean-Francois and centre-forward Shaun Miller have also been out long-term with knee ligament damage, and finally striker Jamie Murphy has been missing recently with minor back and hamstring problems.
The referee for tomorrow's match is Keith Hill from Royston in Hertfordshire and he will be assisted down the lines by Ross Joyce from Middlesbrough and Keith Lawson from Grimsby. Meanwhile the fourth official is Paul Hodskinson from Preston.