Sheffield Wednesday: Darren Moore out to down Lincoln City with Sam Hutchinson return possible

The Owls manager will go head-to-head with his close pal Michael Appleton, who brings his Lincoln City side to Hillsborough this afternoon.

The Imps are languishing in 15th place in League One having lost in last season’s playoff final and will be hoping to get one over on the Owls as one of their fellow promotion hopefuls.

There has been no Lincoln clean sheet in 15 matches, a statistic Moore’s men will look to extend.

Moore has known Appleton for over two decades having played with him at West Bromwich Albion. Appleton made Moore his first team coach in a spell at Blackburn Rovers.

“It’s been well documented that we are really good friends. We’ve worked together and maintained a lifetime friendship.

“I’m really pleased to see what he’s doing at Lincoln and think he’s done a wonderful job.”

Wednesday will be without Lewis Gibson who is facing a ‘considerable amount of time’ out, while George Byers is close but will not be available this weekend. Sam Hutchinson could play a part and will be assessed.

Asked what he felt his side should expect from this afternoon’s visitors, Moore told The Star: “They’re a good team, a very good team. They have great patterns of play and are a team that is a third year in the making. They have a consistent DNA and have a good feel to them with a talented group of players.

“They went to the playoff final last season and that tells you as a football club the level and the pedigree that they’re at with that settled team and settled unit.

“I’m not just saying it because he’s a good friend of mine, but they’ve got a good, solid manager who knows the game and what he wants from the game. It’s a good team that plays the right way and asks questions.

“We’re going to have to be at our level-best tomorrow and it’s going to be a good football match between two teams that are going to go head to head and have a good contest at Hillsborough.”