Sheffield Wednesday need to recover from a demoralising defeat against Watford at the weekend, but they face another stern test in the form of Norwich in midweek.
Watford crushed the Owls 6-2 at Hillsborough on Saturday, with a number of worrying issues emerging among the Wednesday players during the game.
Danny Rohl will be looking to remedy that against the Canaries on Tuesday night, and major changes are expected within the starting line-up for that game.
Sheffield Wednesday team and injury news ahead of Norwich
Wednesday are definitely without three players for this midweek clash, but may be boosted by the potential return of Michael Ihiekwie.
The centre-half has been in and out of the team this season with fitness concerns and is now showing positive signs of late.
Rohl will feel the absence of Olaf Kobacki and Akin Famewo for sure. The latter suffered an injury against Portsmouth at the end of October and his manager has confirmed it will keep Famewo out for months.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel Chalobah continues to struggle and is expected to be out until after the November international break.
Defensive changes with Pol Valentin and Max Lowe coming in
Something has got to give after the debacle against Watford, and Rohl may utilise a different formation this time around to offer more stability at the back.
The German coach loves to mix it up tactically, and he will likely employ Pol Valentin and Max Lowe as his wing-backs to combat the attacking prowess of the Canaries.
Valentin – once hailed as a ‘real threat’ and a ‘fan favourite’ by journalist Alex Miller – bagged a goal at the weekend and may well be rewarded, while Lowe could get more game time under his belt in midweek ahead of a probable starting spot against his old club, Sheffield United, at the weekend.
Sheffield Wednesday predicted lineup vs Norwich
Many fans will likely expect some kind of a reaction from their players, and questions will be asked if Rohl doesn’t make some changes to his line-up.
The Owls were incredibly poor in defence against Watford and will need to be on high alert when it comes to stopping Norwich attacker, Borja Sainz.
Don’t be surprised to see Wednesday switch from a 4-2-3-1 to a slightly more sturdy 3-4-3, with wing-backs incorporated to offer flexibility in both directions.
Sheffield Wednesday predicted XI vs Norwich: James Beadle; Yan Valery, Liam Palmer, Di’Shon Bernard; Pol Valentin, Shea Charles, Barry Bannan, Max Lowe; Djeidi Gassama, Josh Windass, Michael Smith