Team news

No Malone for Cherries Bournemouth manager Lee Bradbury will be without on-loan winger Scott Malone when his side entertains Sheffield United on Saturday.

Malone has suffered a grade one hamstring tear and is expected to be out of action until the new year, at which point his temporary stay from Wolves comes to a conclusion.

Harry Arter misses out after collecting his fifth booking of the season, along with the winning goal, against Huddersfield last weekend, while Shaun McDonald is facing another week out with his groin injury.

Midfielder Joe Partington remains sidelined with a back problem, while defender Mathieu Baudry is also out with a hamstring niggle and both players are not expected to return to the first-team squad for another seven days.

On-loan full-back Nathan Byrne has resumed light running following surgery on an ankle tendon injury, but the Tottenham youngster will not be involved in first-team affairs until January at the very earliest.

Sheffield United's Haiti international Lecsinel Jean-Francois has been challenged to make the left-back spot his own ahead.

Jean-Francois stepped in last week in the home win over Rochdale to fill the gap left by Marcus Williams, who has returned to parent club Reading, and will be handed another start by manager Danny Wilson.

Wilson has no new injury or suspension worries but must wait a little longer before being able to call on striker James Beattie, who is working to overcome a calf strain in his battle for full fitness.

Wilson is unlikely to make many unforced changes as his side chase a sixth straight win in all competitions.

Bournemouth vs Sheff Utd

Last modified 17:57 17/12/11

Blades make it `super six' Sheffield United recorded their sixth successive win thanks to two own goals at Bournemouth in a 2-0 win.

The Blades were ahead in the fifth minute when leading goalscorer Ched Evans got clear on the right and his low centre was turned over the goalline by Bournemouth captain Adam Barrett.

Bournemouth might have been further behind in the 10th minute when Richard Creswell went around goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan, but saw his effort cleared off the line by Simon Francis.

Bournemouth lost defender Shaun Cooper with an injury in the sixth minute and the nearest they came to equalising was a left-footed shot from Michael Symes, which flashed past the post.

Bournemouth made big efforts to equalise in the second half, but Sheffield United's defence held firm under pressure.

The visitors broke in the 74th minute when Evans again got clear on the left and another low centre was touched over the goalline, this time by Bournemouth defender Steven Cook under pressure from Creswell and apart from Barrett's header, which visiting goalkeeper Steve Simonsen held under the crossbar, the Blades had a trouble-free second half.