Sheffield United boss Nigel Clough spoke to his club’s official website ahead of his side’s League One game against Carlisle at Bramall Lane this evening, Clough hoping for a good reaction after the Blades beat Charlton 2-0 in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday:
“I hope it isn’t a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show and straight away after the game I reminded the players how important the Carlisle game is. I think they are getting that, Sunday was an incredible day, a brilliant day for everybody. It is done now though, we are looking forward to the semi-finals in a few weeks time but back to the important stuff in the league now.
“Carlisle got beat at Port Vale, they are scrapping, we are still not safe yet although we have put ourselves in a good position. But, the opportunity I think as much anything to win ten on the spin should be the incentive tonight. I might have to make a few enforced changes, one or two lads have knocks after Sunday and there is a bit of fatigue. The last thing we want to happen at this stage of the season is to get any injuries, because if they do pull muscles then it is four or five weeks and the season is just about over.
“We still want people available for the semi-final as well, we have got to win some league matches still, but we also have one eye on the semi-final in building up to it. Getting ten wins in a row would be huge, it would put us not quite safe but to get to 47 points with a dozen or so games to go means we are going to get over that 50 point mark and hopefully towards the 60 and more, and we can achieve that tonight.”
In team news for the Blades this evening they have a couple of knocks to un-named players in their squad as Clough has mentioned, but he is able to call again on Billy Paynter after the striker, having played for Doncaster in the third round, was cup-tied for the Charlton match. Midfielder Callum McFadzean, after being on loan at Chesterfield, was also cup-tied at the weekend but he has been named in Sheffield United’s under-21 side who face Derby away this afternoon, with former Carlisle-loanee defender Sean McGinty also featuring in that Blades starting eleven.
The referee for this evening’s match is Carl Boyeson from Hull and he will be assisted down the lines by Kevin Mattocks from Chorley and Jason Whiteley from Morley, near Leeds. Meanwhile, the fourth official is Chris Akers from Armthorpe in South Yorkshire.