Can Owls start the post-Irvine era with a win?

Last updated : 04 February 2011 By C. Morris

Sheffield Wednesday will play their first game since the dismissal of Alan Irvine on Saturday when they host MK Dons at Hillsborough. Gary Megson was appointed as the new manager of the Owls on Friday but will fulfil a watching brief over his new side from the bench at the weekend with Rob Kelly picking the side. With 20 games to go Wednesday still maintain hopes of promotion and so will need to start pegging back their rivals - the visitors currently sit in 6th position, 8 points above their hosts.

The home side will be forced into at least one change following the midweek defeat at Peterborough with midfielder Darren Potter suspended as a result of his red card at London Road. Fellow midfielder Tommy Miller remains side-lined with injury so new loan signing Isaiah Osbourne could be in line to make his Owls debut.

Clinton Morrison and Paul Heffernan will be vying for a place up-front with Neil Mellor as Gary Madine is expected to keep his place in the side as he has impressed since his recent move from Carlisle.

The Owls have struggled at the back of late and have tried a number of combinations to try and address this. Any four from Reda Johnson, Michael Morrison, Mark Beevers, Mark Reynolds, Lewis Buxton, Daniel Jones and Tommy Spurr could be chosen.

MK Dons will be without injured strike duo Sam Baldock and Angelo Balanta for the Hillsborough clash. New signings David Amoo and Rowan Vine could come into contention to start up front but manager Karl Robinson may be reluctant to make too many changes to the side that won at Bristol Rovers on Wednesday night.

The Dons will be forced into one change however as Sean O’Hanlon, who was sent-off against Rovers, will serve a suspension.

Despite their fine form in the F.A. Cup Wednesday have been woeful in the league of late with just 1 win in 8 games. They have drawn their last 2 league matches at Hillsborough and have slipped to 12th place in the table.

By contrast the Dons have been in good form with just 1 defeat in 6 and 3 victories in this spell. They have struggled on the road this season though and have only picked up 4 away wins compared with 9 defeats from 15 matches on their travels so far.

The two teams met in November at Stadium MK with Wednesday running out convincing 4-1 winners. The only time they have met at Hillsborough since the Dons took over from Wimbledon was back in 2004 when they played out a 1-1 draw.