Sheffield Wednesday take on Leicester City’s under-21 side on Tuesday evening at Hillsborough. Wednesday are out of the competition having lost their two previous group matches and, well, let’s just say focus is elsewhere.
But there is a match to be won, there will be opportunities for some of Wednesday’s fringe players to press their cases for further league involvement and there will be paying customers to impress.
What is for sure is that the team named for the clash won’t be made up of youngsters. Darren Moore told The Star over the weekend it would be a squad made up of seniors.
“It's a chance to give one or two some minutes on the pitch,” he said.
“It's at home, which is great, and what it will do is get minutes in the legs. We've then got Saturday and there's a lot of games coming. We'll need the squad. It will get them ready for the matches ahead.”
But how will Wednesday line up? With a focus on run-outs for those who haven’t had many and the resting of players who could use a night with their feet up, here’s the side our man Alex Miller would consider...
What is for sure is that the team named for the clash won’t be made up of youngsters. Darren Moore told The Star over the weekend it would be a squad made up of seniors.
5. CB - Mark McGuinness
Edged back in in the last couple of matches after an injury, Cardiff loanee McGuinness may well be an important player in the coming weeks and extended minutes against Leicester would do him good. Looks a classy operator on the ball in a key position when Wednesday play a defensive five. Would be interesting to see him in a two with Ben Heneghan and Michael Ihiekwe rested. Photo: Steve Ellis
6. LB - Jaden Brown
Started out as a regular with Darren Moore last season but appears to have fallen way down in the queue for League One minutes. Impressed in pre-season and has stood out in moments in this season's cup outings. Surely a shoo-in at left-back with Marvin Johnson to be rested? Photo: Steve Ellis
7. CM - George Byers
All very dependant on where he is physically - as is the case with a lot of these picks - Byers is on the comeback trail to full fitness and could be ideally placed to play 45 or 60 minutes. A classy operator, he can do a bit of everything and would provide some real quality. Off the bench a couple of times, some proper match involvement would do him good heading into a busy few weeks. Photo: Steve Ellis
8. CM - Jay Glover
A rogue one this perhaps, but stick with me. While Moore said there wouldn't be much involvement from the youth ranks, one couldn't hurt, could it? The likes of Barry Bannan and Will Vaulks were involved in a tough match on Saturday and could maybe do with a rest. Tyreeq Bakinson? He's been less involved but played a part at Cambridge. Glover has made his debut in the cups already this season. If Bakinson is decreed to need a rest, why not? Photo: Steve Ellis