United have completed a loan signing ahead of Friday evening's Steel City showdown at Bramall Lane.

Premiership defender Andrew Davies has agreed a three-month switch to the Blades from Stoke City and goes straight into Kevin Blackwell's plans for the Championship encounter with Sheffield Wednesday.

With Andy Taylor (back) and Matthew Kilgallon (chest infection) struggling to be fit, the Blades boss was short of defensive cover until completing the signature of 24-year-old Davies, who stands at an imposing 6ft 3ins.

Davies, formerly with Middlesbrough and Southampton, who has also had loan spells at QPR, Preston and Derby, is primarily a central defender but has played in other positions across the back four.