Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to bounce back against Birmingham City tomorrow.
Carlos Carvalhal’s heated pre-Birmingham City press conference was evidence, if anyone needed it, that Sheffield Wednesday are hurting from Sunday’s Steel City derby defeat – or at least their manager is.
And though the Portuguese launched an admirably staunch defence of the players responsible for that 4-2 reverse, you sense that heads could roll at St Andrew’s on Wednesday.
But with Fernando Forestieri and George Boyd absent, and Glenn Loovens and Almen Abdi not yet ready to return, Carvalhal’s options for change may be limited – especially with some of his regulars said to have picked up knocks on Sunday.
Lucas Joao, who scored Wednesday’s equaliser in an impressive cameo against Sheffield United, is well-placed to start at Steven Fletcher’s expense, while Daniel Pudil, Jacob Butterfield and Liam Palmer could also earn recalls, perhaps too Sam Hutchinson and Marco Matias – if he’s alive.
Dropping Joost van Aken, who after a bright start to his Hillsborough career was arguably the main protagonist in Wednesday’s derby downfall, would be a popular call. However, with Loovens out and Frederico Venancio very much untested, the Dutchman could get a chance to redeem himself.
Here’s how HITC Sports suspects the Owls could look, but it really is anyone’s guess.
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