Di’Shon Bernard has a ‘massive’ part to play in Dave Challinor’s Sheffield Wednesday plans.

Bernard, 26, has made his return this season after 19 months out with a knee injury. The defender made three successive starts last month before missing the next three. He was back involved in Sunday’s FA Cup defeat to Oldham Athletic, playing 120 minutes. The centre-back looked uncomfortable in the final seconds after pulling up slightly following a recovery sprint, but Challinor is hoping he will be okay.

Challinor’s long-term aim is for Wednesday to play an aggressive, front-footed attacking style of play and he sees Bernard having a big role in that ambition, saying: “Dish is obviously an important player for us, the physical capabilities he has, whether it's from a side or as a central one, will be massive because it'll allow us to defend high up the pitch and be and be really aggressive.”

On his physical condition, Challinor continued: “When you're coming back from injury, especially long-term injury, there's always little hurdles that you have to get over. That's a big hurdle for him tonight. By moving him to the middle of the back three, hopefully we will have protected him in terms of distances he had to cover. Quite evidently, when we're attacking the game, then the wide centre-backs are going to be the ones who probably have to cover the most distance. Fingers crossed with him. We obviously need him alongside others who need to recover. He'll be sore all over. But again, a big positive thing ticked off for him.”

The Owls return to action on Tuesday night in the EFL Trophy against Accrington Stanley at Hillsborough. Wednesday have already secured their place in the knockout rounds. They then host Plymouth Argyle on Saturday in what will be Challinor’s first home league game.