Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to get back to winning ways on home soil in the league on Saturday when struggling Leyton Orient visit Hillsborough.
It to a penalty shoot out for the Owls to see off Chesterfield in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on Wednesday evening and they have only picked up one point from the last three League One matches at Hillsborough.
Alan Irvine made six changes for the midweek cup game and his starting line up against Orient is likely to bear more resemblance to the one that won at Notts County last weekend than the side that eventually saw off Chesterfield. That said, Neil Mellor could be pushing for a starting place after scoring against the Spireites and that could come at the expense of the out of form Paul Heffernan. Striker Marcus Tudgay impressed in scoring from a wide midfield role at Meadow Lane and may be asked to take up the same position on Saturday.
Jamaican winger Jermaine Johnson is yet to feature this season due to injury but is thought to be close to a return and has a chance of making the bench.
Leyton Orient travel north without number one goalkeeper Jamie Jones after he picked up a groin injury last weekend. The O’s will also be without on loan Tottenham midfielder Paul-Joes M’poku as the youngster has been called up for international duty for Belgium under 19’s.
Wednesday put an end to a run of five games without a win by beating Notts County 2-0 at Meadow Lane last weekend and overcame Chesterfield on penalties in the Football League Trophy in midweek after the sides ended 90 minutes level at 2-2. The Owls have failed to score in each of their last three league games at Hillsborough.
Orient were defeated on penalties by Brentford on Tuesday and like the Owls, they have won only one of their previous six league matches. They are yet to win on their travels in the league this season having lost three of their five away matches so far.
The two sides have only met twice in the past twenty years with the Owls getting the better of Orient over two legs in the League Cup in 1991, drawing 0-0 away and winning 4-1 at Hillsborough. Wednesday have dominated in the 17 clashes they have had with the Londoners on home soil, winning eleven of them and losing just twice.