Sheffield Wednesday’s play-off campaign begins at Huddersfield Town on Sunday.
Sheffield Wednesday striker Sam Winnall [second right]
Sheffield Wednesday made 10 changes for Sunday’s regular season finale against Fulham, with the play-offs at the forefront of their mind.
Of the Owls’ first team regulars, Gary Hooper is the only player expected to miss out against Huddersfield Town this weekend, although manager Carlos Carvalhal could may have concerns over the fitness levels of one or two others.
Here’s how we at HITC suspect his side will look:
‘Keeper: Keiren Westwood
Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Keiren Westwood [right]
Stand-in Joe Wildsmith was man of the match against Fulham, but player-of the-year Westwood won’t be overlooked for such a big game.
Defence: Jack Hunt, Tom Lees, Glenn Loovens, Daniel Pudil
Expect four changes from Carvalhal, with regulars Hunt, Lees, Loovens and Pudil replacing understudies Liam Palmer, Jose Semedo, Vincent Sasso and Morgan Fox.
Midfield: Sam Hutchinson, Barry Bannan, Ross Wallace, Kieran Lee, Adam Reach
With Hooper out, many will be desperate to see talisman Fernando Forestieri return against a side he usually excels against. However, the Italian has been handled with care over the past two months and may not be 100 per cent fit, which could encourage Carvalhal to go with five in the middle and push Lee further forward. The Owls number 5 is almost certain to play, alongside Wallace (if fit), Bannan and Reach, with Hutchinson the only maybe. Marco Matias (suspended) and David Jones are likely to drop out.
Striker: Steven Fletcher
Sheffield Wednesday striker Steven Fletcher [left]
The in-form Scot could lead the line on his own if Carvalhal goes with the above midfield, with Jordan Rhodes another contender for the role. One suspects last week’s scorer Sam Winnall would only feature as part of a two-man front line, and even then he’s likely to be behind Forestieri and Rhodes in the manager’s plans.
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