(Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Sheffield United star shines on international duty while another earns first cap

A number of Sheffield United players have been away on international duty, as is the norm these days.

Blades midfielder Oliver Arblaster, and striker Kieffer Moore, were ruled out of international duty due to their recent injury scares.

Moore suffered a calf strain during the victory over Bristol City and as a result he missed the Steel City derby. He also withdrew from the Wales national team as a precaution.

Arblaster had a more worrying looking injury, after he fell awkwardly on his knee during the win against Sheffield Wednesday, and the talented midfielder was seen walking around with a knee brace on after the game. This forced him to withdraw from the England U20’s squad. However, on a positive injury front, he has been seen in public without the knee brace during international duty, indicating that the injury is not serious.

A number of Sheffield United players have been away on international duty, as is the norm these days. 
2026 Qualifier – Australia v Lebanon CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 26: Harry Souttar of Australia attempts a header during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Australia Socceroos and Lebanon at GIO Stadium on March 26, 2024 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty)

Sheffield United: International Round-Up

England’s U20’s side triumphed 4-0 over Germany in the Elite League, thanks in large part to the Blades midfielder Sydie Peck’s standout performance. The midfielder notched a goal and claimed three assists, including an impeccable header for England’s third. Peck, formerly of Arsenal, also set up Will Lankshear: his ex-teammate at Arsenal and United’s development team, which brought about the fourth goal. The midfielder could make an appearance next Tuesday against Poland in the Elite League.

Peck was only drafted into the squad due to the injury of Arblaster, but his recent performances for both club and country might well reward him with an initial call-up in the future. Like his close friend and teammate, Arblaster, Peck is emerging as a serious talent to watch.

Sticking with the England youth teams, the on loan Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi earned his first England U21’s cap, coming on in the 68th minute during a goalless draw against Spain. Rak-Sakyi has another chance to feature for his country next week, against the Netherlands in another friendly.

Meanwhile,  Australian international Harry Souttar played a full 90 minutes in a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia. The towering centre-back provided a strong defensive performance, helping the Socceroos secure a clean sheet in the AFC qualification stage. Souttar will likely suit up next week for their game against Bahrain, as they look to close the seven-point gap between themselves and first-place Japan.

In other news, United’s versatile defender Rhys Norrington-Davies was an unused substitute for Wales in a 0-0 draw versus Turkey. As things stand, Turkey are top of the group in the UEFA Nations League league B, with Wales two points behind. They will need to beat Iceland next week and hope Turkey loses to Montenegro in order for them to gain automatic promotion to league A. But, an Iceland win would see them leapfrog Wales into the promotion playoff place, and therefore Wales would have to play a relegation playoff game.