Sheffield Wednesday travel to Rochdale on Saturday as new manager Gary Megson picks the team for the first time.
The former Owls midfielder is likely to be without Jamaican winger Jermaine Johnson who has been laid low with illness during the latter part of the week. Central midfielder Darren Potter is available for selection again having served a one-match ban last time out and Megson will also hope to have the option of handing a debut to Isaiah Osbourne, who is on loan from Aston Villa.
With Wednesday leaking goals left right and centre the new boss has a number of options available should he wish to change things. Up front Clinton Morrison and Neil Mellor may expect to start having both scored last weekend. This may mean that Gary Madine could drop to the bench whilst Paul Heffernan will also be in the reckoning.
Rochdale come into the game with an almost fully fit squad to choose from. Winger Joe Thompson, who is suffering from a thigh strain is the only player ruled out through injury. The home side are not expected to make too many changes to the side that beat Bristol Rovers 3-1 in midweek. However, two of Dale’s goals were scored by substitutes and so Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro and Matt Done could well be pushing for starting roles.
Ex-Wednesday full-back Brian Barry-Murphy has been a regular in Rochdale’s midfield this season and is expected to keep his place in the side for the visit of his former club.
The Owls come into the game without a league win in 7 and their away form has been awful as they have not picked up a single point in the previous 5 matches on the road.
Wednesday will be hoping that the manager of the month curse kicks in with immediate effect as Dale boss Keith Hill was handed the accolade this week. The home side have been in fine form since the turn of the year and are unbeaten in their last 9 matches, a run that has seen them climb to 9th in the table.
Rochdale have only lost twice at home in the league this season with the last of these defeats coming way back in October.
The two sides have never met at Spotland’s and indeed have only faced each other three times in competitive matches. Each of these three games took place at Hillsborough with the Owls winning them all, the most recent of which was the league game in November when goals from Coke and Morrison secured a 2-0 win for Wednesday.