Four touch-and-go and four ruled out as Sheffield Wednesday look to navigate MK Dons challenge

MK Dons are the next challengers to the Owls’ mammoth unbeaten league run – one that sees them only two matches away from a club record of 20.

But who will feature and who won’t? Here’s the latest on every Wednesday player known to be carrying knocks.

Michael Smith

Bit of a non-injury from a footballing perspective, this. Smith suffered a dislocated finger down at Ipswich and has since been wearing a protective sheath on his wrist.

It may well be sore but there’s no issue and the battling centre-forward has played through it easily enough.

Verdict: Good to go

Dominic Iorfa

A surprise absence from the squad that beat Morecambe this week, in-form defender Iorfa was suffering only from a minor impact injury sustained down at Ipswich Town.

“He got a kick on his calf on Saturday,” said Moore. “With the bruising, it tightened up so we didn't take the risk tonight.

“He probably could have played tonight - we just didn't want to take the risk with the swelling.”

Verdict: Probably back in contention for MK Dons

George Byers

Subject to an assessment by the Wednesday medical team, any nervousness over the fact Byers was substituted at half-time on Tuesday having hobbled his way down the tunnel should be calmed – though he suffered an injury that can take a few days to clear.

“I think it’s a dead leg,” Moore said. “He ran into the centre-back midway through the first half and I think it just tightened up on him.”

Verdict: Touch and go

Mallik Wilks

The former Hull City man was showing decent form prior to his injury, which appears to be a calf issue.

“We don’t know, it could be a strain, we don’t think it’s a pull,” Moore detailed.

“But we’ll assess him again and see where he’s at. I spoke to him today [Tuesday] and he’s pain-free which is excellent, but we have to assess him again and just make sure that there’s no further damage in there.”

Verdict: Out in the short-term – could be longer

Reece James

Missing since he was stretchered off at Wycombe last month, James has battled back ahead of schedule and made the bench against Morecambe.

“He could have played, he’s fine,” Moore said simply. That’ll be that, then.

Verdict: Good to go

Jack Hunt

Hunt would have featured in the squad at Ipswich were it not for a freak incident in which he suffered a dead leg in a training collision with Marvin Johnson.

He missed out on Tuesday’s squad as it continued to heal but Moore seemed optimistic he could be back in contention for the weekend.

“He should be OK,” he said. “Hopefully back in [for training] Thursday.”

Verdict: Should be back

Lee Gregory

Another surprise absentee from the last couple of matches, centre-forward Gregory is ill rather than injured – with a bit of something that seems to be ‘going around’ at the minute.

Moore said: “He’s recovered from his tonsillitis, it’s just a case now of looking at things nutrition-wise for him and so we’ll see over the next few days.”

Verdict: Touch and go

Callum Paterson

The pull-up against Plymouth Argyle looked bad and though The Star revealed this week that surgery wasn’t going to be necessary, the Scotland international looks set to miss the rest of the season – or at least everything up until the final weeks of it – with a hamstring issue.

Verdict: Out until the last weeks of the season – at the very least

Michael Ihiekwe

No change here. Moore dropped the bombshell a couple of weeks ago that his two-month recovery had been extended towards the end of the season on a ‘best case scenario’ basis.

ACL injuries aren’t easy to shake and though reports suggest he’s tackling things positively, if he’s back for any football at all this season it’ll be a pleasant bonus.

Verdict: Out until mid-to-late April earliest

Ben Heneghan

It was October that Heneghan last stepped onto a football pitch and he was swiftly ruled out for the season, requiring surgery on his knee.

Recovery is going well by all accounts and the big man is going at things with a positive frame of mind.

Verdict: Aiming for pre-season

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