Oldham v Sheff Wed preview

admin

Oldham will be without suspended duo James Wesolowski and Nathan Clarke.

Midfielder Wesolowski and defender Clarke picked up their fifth bookings of the season in Tuesday night’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Northern section semi-final victory over Bradford at Boundary Park.

Dean Furman missed the match with a suspension of his own and is set to return to the Oldham midfield in place of Wesolowski alongside on-loan Norwich youngster Tom Adeyemi, who opened the scoring against the Bantams.

Ex-Aberdeen centre-back Zander Diamond has shaken off a knee injury and is expected to replace Clarke in the heart of the defence.

Midfielder Chris Taylor is yet to resume full training since picking up a hamstring problem against Bournemouth a fortnight ago and is unlikely to be risked.

Shefki Kuqi took his goal tally to 13 for the season in midweek and is poised to face his former club.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Gary Megson must decide which of his six loan players to leave out of the squad.

Central defender Danny Batth (Wolves) – available again after suspension – winger Ben Marshall (Stoke) and Derby goalkeeper Stephen Bywater arrived on loan during the summer, while Megson has since added Blackpool centre-half Miguel Llera, Newcastle full-back James Tavernier and Arsenal striker Sanchez Watt.

League rules stipulate only five on-loan players can be included in a matchday squad, so Megson must decide who to omit. Watt has yet to feature for the Owls since arriving at the end of last month.

Megson has no new injury or suspension worries, but the Owls will still be without striker Gary Madine (broken toe), defender Lewis Buxton (hamstring) and midfielder James O’Connor, who is not quite ready due to a gashed shin sustained in training 10 days ago.