Cardiff v Sheffield United: Oli McBurnie and Blades squad happy to play through the pain

The Sheffield United striker, busy making hay on the goalscoring front after his epic previous barren spell, is ready, in his words, to be 'rolled out' for one last time before the World Cup break with his attitude of mind being something all managers crave from their players.

After soldiering on ahead of hernia surgery in the hiatus, McBurnie also left Bramall Lane in a protective boot on Tuesday due to an ankle issue.

It is not expected to preclude his involvement in the Principality. His importance to the Blades’ cause both in terms of leadership and form - nine goals already this term - is clear to see and Paul Heckingbottom will be relieved at the news.

Like many good professionals in the Blades ranks, McBurnie is prepared to endure a bit of pain. It reflects well on the dressing room at Heckingbottom's disposal.

On McBurnie, among a group of players whom Heckingbottom has encouraged the board to hold contract talks with, the Blades boss said: "Sportsman's hernias don't usually get to the stage where there is something budging through your stomach lining as you would not be able to function.

"I am not saying it is not sore, it is sore. When you are playing football, you tend to forget about pain and having ailments, it's part of life.

"But I think you can see with the way he has been playing that it has not really restricted him as such.

"It has limited him sometimes in games when it has got sore and in terms of his work between games, where we have had to look after him, so he is not at the optimum and fitness he can be. That's not through any lack of effort from him, it is just managing him between games.

"We know it has not been ideal, but you can see with the way he has been performing that it's not held him back to a great degree. When we get it repaired and he's back, he's not suddenly going to become twice the player, but he will be able to work towards being that."

McBurnie has certainly not been alone in terms of playing when not at his peak fitness.

The Blades chief, hopeful that Max Lowe and Jayden Bogle could return after the international break, continued: “There have been loads.

"Flecky (John Fleck) came back before he should have. Bash (Chris Basham) is carrying and there’s Ossie (Ben Osborn).

"Eags (John Egan) and Oli (Norwood) have been ever-presents and George (Baldock) has been carrying a hamstring (issue) and Iliman (Ndiaye) has put himself forward and trained every day.

“Enda (Stevens) has come back and been thrown straight in. All these boys, it's been needs must. They’ve had to play and wanted to.

"There's an expectancy that the players do that from me and from the team and them - that’s what you do, you go and play.

"But there’s an acknowledgement from me you’re not always going to be at your best, But you have to get through it. If you look back, lots of our players have played hundreds of games now; they’ll be hard pushed to tell you an extended period of time where they have been injury and pain free. It just doesn't happen, it’s part and parcel of being a player.”

Ndiaye has been named in the Senegal squad for the World Cup finals following on from Adam Davies being named in the Wales’ party.

Heckingbottom added: “Us, as a club, we should shout about it. Rhys (Norrington-Davies) should be going too if he hadn’t got hurt and he was brought through here.”