Garry Monk has explained why he suddenly dropped Moses Odubajo from his Sheffield Wednesday eleven in favour of Morgan Fox.
Odubajo started the first six games of Monk’s reign as Wednesday boss before the October break for internationals, but spent the following two on the bench.
Liam Palmer has instead been deployed at right-back, with Fox taking Palmer’s place on the left as the Owls picked up four points from two games against Cardiff and Stoke.
Fox, who was booed by some Sheffield Wednesday supporters as the Owls beat Luton 1-0 in August, has performed well in Odubajo’s absence.
And ahead of Saturday’s visit of Leeds – one of Monk’s old clubs – the shirt is arguably his to lose.
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Asked what has impressed him about Fox since club football resumed, Monk told the official Sheffield Wednesday Facebook page: “He’s been great from the start since I came in here.
Fox in action for Wednesday against Stoke. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images.)
“I had a few difficult decisions. Mo has been very good as well and obviously there’s Palms and now Foxy as well. They’ve all been competitive.
“I just felt for the Cardiff game from the set-piece point of view and the directness point of view that Foxy was needed for that. He did very well and I felt that team deserved another chance in the game against Stoke and I felt Foxy did very well in that.
“It’s difficult, Mo didn’t do anything to be out of the team, but when you’ve got a competitive squad you try and use it in the right way.
“The most important part of all of it is that you try and put the team on the pitch that you think is best to cope with the opposition and best to help you win the game. They all understand that and that’s why you need a competitive squad to make sure you can do that.”
Monk also confirmed that Keiren Westwood is fit to return against Leeds, having been injured in the warm-up at Cardiff, and said he is ‘very hopeful’ over Massimo Luongo’s fitness after the midfielder was forced off against Stoke.
