Sheffield Wednesday travel to Prenton Park on Saturday with the benefit of a near full- strength team. Gary Megson’s side produced a professional performance in coming through the F.A. Cup 1st round tie at Morecambe last Sunday but changes are expected as the Owls welcome back some of their loan players that were prevented from playing in the cup by their parent clubs.
Stephen Bywater is expected to replace Richard O’ Donnell in goal. 1st-choice goalkeeper Nicky Weaver has resumed training following knee surgery but is not yet ready for a return to action.
On-loan Stoke winger Ben Marshall is likely to return in place of Jermaine Johnson and Owls skipper Rob Jones could return at centre-back having missed the Morecambe match due to nose surgery. Jones’ return could mean that Reda Johnson would return to left-back with Julian Bennett dropping out of the starting 11.
Midfielder Liam Palmer is also available for selection having returned from international duty with the Scotland under 21 team.
Tranmere will be boosted by the return of young attacker Jose Baxter. The on-loan Everton player has completed a 3-match ban and is in contention to go straight into the starting line-up.
Rovers’ manager Les Parry has no fresh injury or suspension worries to concern him and will have to decide if the likes of Martin Devaney and former Wednesday forward Enoch Showunmi did enough in a midweek reserve outing to warrant places in the team.
Wednesday travel west looking to continue a run of form that has seen them lose only once in their last 10 matches. They will be attempting to return to winning ways in the league after Brentford ended their perfect home record by picking up a point in a 0-0 draw at Hillsborough a fortnight ago.
Tranmere have lost just once in 9 home league games this season, conceding only 4 goals in the process, the least in the division. 4 of those games have ended in draws however and they suffered a set-back on home soil last weekend when they were beaten 1-0 by Cheltenham in the F.A. Cup.
Wednesday have only won once in 9 visits to Tranmere with that victory coming way back in 1939. They were soundly beaten 3-0 at Prenton Park last season but managed a 4-0 win when the two sides met at Hillsborough in April.