Sheffield Wednesday take on Accrington Stanley tonight in the EFL Trophy.

A youthful Sheffield Wednesday line-up will take on Accrington Stanley hoping to secure a home tie in the next round of the EFL Trophy.

The headline news may well be that forward George Brown has been cleared to start having last played last December. The Yorkshire-born forward provided bright moments in a painful season last time out and will prove a popular inclusion.

The Owls have made 11 changes for the clash and to The Star’s calculations will receive a nominal fine of upto £5,000 for choosing not to comply with EFL competition rules on team selection. The odds always looked against Wednesday on that front with a vast number of injuries and an important League One clash against Plymouth Argyle coming this weekend. It is as yet unclear whether Wednesday can get dispensation on the fine given their injury pile-up.

There is a suggestion that if four outfield players start the weekend’s visit of Plymouth Argyle, Wednesday will avoid the fine - though that seems highly unlikely.

The side will be captained by Sean Fusire, who impressed as a substitute in the FA Cup defeat at Oldham Athletic on Sunday and will be hoping to further impress new boss Dave Challinor. Fusire was selected for duty with Zimbabwe in an international break that technically started this week but has been cleared to play for his club this evening.

Other notable inclusions are Joel Akpobi, whose lively debut performance earlier in the competition at Salford City caught the eye, and midfielder Denny Oliver. The pair joined Pontefract Colleries on loan last week but is able to play through competition rules - on the say so of both clubs and player. Left-back Louis Poland is in the same scenario, cleared to play while on loan at Stocksbridge Park Steels, as are Fortune Onoh and Samuel Onoh, who are on loan with Beverley Town.

Gabriel Otegbayo is the most senior figure in the squad with 68 senior appearances to date. Ernie Weaver also features alongside Jarvis Thornton and Cole McGhee, who all made appearances in last season’s Championship amid a numbers crisis.