Watch live on Sky Sports Football Action from 7.40pm on Tuesday; Kick-off 7.45pm
Monday 21 October 2019 18:21, UK
Sheffield Wednesday face Stoke in the Sky Bet Championship on Tuesday. Coverage gets under way live on Sky Sports Action at 7.40pm; Kick-off 7.45pm.
The match will come too soon for Wednesday club captain Tom Lees. The defender has returned to training after suffering a hamstring injury in August that has sidelined him for the last 10 games.
Lees will not be fit enough to face the Potters and may not even be considered for the weekend clash with Leeds as boss Garry Monk is fearful of rushing him back too soon. Monk is, though, hopeful goalkeeper Keiren Westwood will shake off an ankle injury suffered in the warm-up before the draw with Cardiff on Friday.
James McClean could be in line for a return to action for Stoke. McClean was on the bench for the clash with Fulham after recovering from a back injury suffered against Huddersfield at the start of the month and is pushing to return to the starting line-up.
McClean will also have to watch his discipline as he currently has four yellow cards and one more will see him serve a one-game ban. Ryan Shawcross is a long-term absentee with a serious ankle injury.
Last time out, Wednesday were held to a 1-1 draw by Cardiff, thanks to a controversial late equaliser from Lee Tomlin, following a 1-0 win over Wigan before October's international break. Prior to that, they had lost 1-0 to Hull and breezed past Middlesbrough 4-1 at the Riverside Stadium.
Stoke's miserable start to the season brought unwanted attention to the bet365 Stadium, but there is finally something for Potters fans to cheer about. Their last two Championship fixtures, against Fulham and Swansea, no less, have produced 2-0 and 2-1 victories, respectively. Those wins followed successive defeats to Huddersfield and Nottingham Forest.
"I just feel sad. It's a great club but it just hasn't worked out. I couldn't have given it any more, I've given it everything I can." Those were the words of Jones following Stoke's 1-0 defeat to Huddersfield just three weeks ago; a man resigned to losing his job after a miserable tenure at the helm.
Fast forward to last weekend. The Potters walked off the pitch following a 2-0 win over Fulham - remarkably their second victory in succession. An elated Jones marched out onto the pitch like a man possessed, with his arms spread wide so as to gee up the long-suffering fans at the bet365. His undying dedication to the cause is admirable, as is the patience of chairman Peter Coates, but how long will the Stoke renaissance continue?
Sheffield Wednesday are unbeaten in six league games against Stoke (W2 D4 L0) since a 2-0 defeat in November 2005.
Both Championship games between Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke ended as draws last season, with both sides having different managers in each game.
Sheffield Wednesday have lost just two of their last 22 home league matches played on Tuesday (W13 D7 L2), winning the last three in a row.
Stoke City are winless in 14 away league matches played on Tuesday (W0 D3 L11) since winning 1-0 away at Norwich City in March 2008.
Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk won both of his Championship matches against Stoke with Birmingham last season and won his only previous match against Stoke's Nathan Jones in August 2016 with Leeds in a 1-0 League Cup win over Luton Town.
Stoke haven't won consecutive away league games since October 2015, when they were in the Premier League managed by Mark Hughes.
Garry Monk was frustrated with his side's failure to win at Cardiff on Friday night, which shows how far Sheffield Wednesday have come in such a short space of time.
Stoke look a different beast altogether now, and they were clinical in their victory over Fulham on Saturday. Nathan Jones looks fired up in the dugout again, but I think the Owls will nick this one.
David Prutton predicts: 2-1 (17/2 with Sky Bet)
