Sheffield Wednesday travel south to face Bournemouth on Saturday as they look to maintain their positive start to the season. The Owls kicked off with a 2-0 win against Rochdale in League One last weekend and followed that up with a penalty shoot-out victory over Blackpool in the Carling Cup on Thursday.
Gary Megson made 10 changes for the midweek cup tie and he is likely to revert back to a side similar if not the same as the one that started last weekend’s game. The Owls have added three new players to their attacking options during the week and if any changes are made to the side that beat Rochdale then it is likely to be in these areas. New striker Chris O’Grady is carrying a slight injury and is not expected to make his debut but former Bristol Rovers midfielder Chris lines is in contention to make his first Wednesday appearance. If he does make the starting 11 then either Clinton Morrison or Gary Madine could make way if Megson chooses to adopt a cautious approach against a side that reached the play-offs last season on the back of a fine home record. It would be a surprise if Danny Uchechi was included in the side; the on-loan striker has had little time to train with his new club and looked tired during his debut on Thursday evening.
Bournemouth got off to a slow start with a 3-0 loss at Charlton but got that defeat out of their system in midweek with a 5-0 hammering of Dagenham & Redbridge in the League Cup. The Cherries have attacking injury problems with Michael Symes and Steve Lovell both unavailable. Danny Ings is also a doubt but the club have strengthened by adding Ryan Doble on loan from Southampton.
Young forward Lyle Taylor made only his fourth start for the club in the cup in midweek and bagged his first two senior goals so he could have earned himself a place in the side.
Honours were even when the two sides met last season, a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough in October was followed by a 0-0 draw in the return fixture. Ominously for the Owls, the sides have faced each other just 6 times in the league in total and Wednesday are yet to record a victory.