Paul Heckingbottom branded Chris Basham’s ankle injury "horrific" after the Sheffield United captain was carried off on a stretcher during the Blades’ 3-1 defeat to Fulham.

Basham appeared to break his ankle in the first half at Craven Cottage and required extensive medical attention before the game resumed.

United manager Heckingbottom admitted the injury would impact their season.

Heckingbottom said: "No one wants to see that ever. 

"I've been involved in it on the pitch with one of my team-mates, but when it’s one of your own players it’s far worse and it’s tough.

"In the second half we were thinking of Basham and were trying to get points for him.

"It's terrible, it's horrific.

"Of course it's going to affect us, it's going to for the season."

The Yorkshire club are still searching for their first win of the season and sit at the bottom of the Premier League with just one point on the board.

Heckingbottom challenged his players to stop the rot, saying no one would feel sorry for them after another defeat extended their losing run to four games.

"You get what you deserve and we are where we deserve to be," he added.

"It's only us who can get ourselves out of it and that’s why we are down there. We have to fight and wait for those moments to turn them and capitalise on them.

"No one is going to feel sorry us.

"Our next opponents are not going to worry about the three players we have lost this week or the fact that we have conceded and lost points.

"We have to enjoy it in every game. Even the players who are having a tough time, you have to enjoy it, when you’re up against top players you have to enjoy the challenge.

"We have fought very hard to be here, we want to fight and to compete."