Football League World
·20 dicembre 2024
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·20 dicembre 2024
We rounded up all the latest team news ahead of Sheffield Wednesday's game against Stoke City at Hillsborough on Saturday.
Sheffield Wednesday take on Stoke City in the Championship at Hillsborough on Saturday.
Much of the talk among Wednesday supporters in the build up to this weekend's game has been about the future of manager Danny Rohl after he was linked with the Southampton and Hamburg jobs, but the German confirmed in his pre-match press conference on Friday that he will be remaining in South Yorkshire.
That will be a big boost for the Owls, who returned to winning ways last Saturday with a 3-1 win at Oxford United, with goals from Josh Windass, Jamal Lowe and Djeidi Gassama turning the game around after Greg Leigh had given the hosts the lead.
Wednesday currently sit ninth in the table, just five points from the play-off places, and they will be looking to get their home form back on track on Saturday after picking up just one win in their last seven games at Hillsborough.
While the Owls are aiming to close the gap to the top six, Stoke are looking nervously over their shoulder as their struggles under Narcis Pelach continue.
Pelach has won just three of his 17 games in charge since replacing Steven Schumacher in September, and his side are now without a win in their last seven matches after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Cardiff City at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday, with Ben Gibson's stoppage time equaliser salvaging a point for the Potters.
Stoke are 17th in the table, five points clear of the bottom three, but fears that they could be dragged into the relegation battle are increasing, and with games against promotion contenders Leeds United, Sunderland and Burnley to come over the festive period, Pelach needs a result this weekend to ease some of the pressure on him.
As the countdown to kick-off continues, we rounded up all the latest team news from both clubs and looked at which players are set to miss Saturday's game.
Defender Akin Famewo was producing his best form in a Wednesday shirt until he suffered a serious muscle injury in the 2-1 win at Portsmouth in late October.
Rohl described Famewo as his side's "one big injury" ahead of the game against Stoke, and the 26-year-old is expected to be sidelined for at least a few more months.
Midfielder Svante Ingelsson joined Wednesday from German side Hansa Rostock in the summer, but he has struggled to cement his place in the team since his arrival, making just seven starts in the league so far this season.
Rohl revealed on Friday that Ingelsson had picked up a "little bit of a knock in training", meaning that he is a doubt for the visit of Stoke, and he will be assessed ahead of the game.
Defender Enda Stevens has experienced a frustrating first half of the season, with injury limiting him to just nine appearances in all competitions so far.
The 34-year-old has not featured since the 0-0 draw against Preston North End at the end of November, and with a calf injury continuing to plague him, he is likely to miss the trip to Hillsborough.
Defender Bosun Lawal joined Stoke from Celtic in the summer, and after missing the first four months of the season with a back injury, he finally made his debut for the club as a substitute against Cardiff on Saturday.
However, Lawal was left out of an Under-21 game on Wednesday as a precaution, and it remains to be seen whether Pelach will risk him this weekend.
Midfielder Ben Pearson made 32 appearances in all competitions for Stoke last season, but he is yet to feature this campaign due to injury.
Pearson sustained a hamstring injury in April that required surgery, and while he was thought to be closing in on a return to training, he has suffered a setback in his recovery, meaning his comeback has been delayed.
Midfielder Jordan Thompson was a regular at the start of the season under Schumacher, but his game time has become a little more limited since Pelach's arrival, and injuries have not helped his attempts to force his way back into the team.
Thompson has not featured since the end of November due to a groin injury, and he will be unavailable once again on Saturday.
Winger Million Manhoef has been one of Stoke's best players this season, scoring five goals and providing two assists in 24 appearances, but the Potters have been dealt a huge blow after the Dutchman was ruled out for between eight and 12 weeks with a medial collateral ligament injury.
Striker Sam Gallagher has made just four appearances since joining Stoke from Blackburn Rovers for a reported £1.5m in the summer, but he has looked dangerous when fit.
Gallagher made his return after over two months out when he came on as a substitute against Cardiff last weekend, but after suffering a knock late in the game, he is a doubt for Saturday's clash against Wednesday.