Sheffield Wednesday: Five changes, no problem – Owls boss issues Barry Bannan update

The Owls boss brought in Dominic Iorfa, Tyreeq Bakinson, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Mallik Wilks and Callum Paterson in a much-changed side to face Burton Albion, with Michael Ihiekwe (suspended), George Byers, Jaden Brown, Lee Gregory and Josh Windass all missing out.

Eyebrows were raised when the starting XI was named, but the Owls got the job done at Hillsborough with a 4-2 victory that saw them close the gap on second place to just three points.

Speaking after the game he was asked if he ever thought it was too many changes… He didn’t.

“All of it was down to detail,” Moore explained. “Greggers definitely wasn’t going to play today, George definitely wasn’t going to play today because of the length of time he’s been off. To come back and play another 90 minutes after just 48 hours, it was never going to happen.

“With Josh, he’d played two games and I wanted to give Mallik a run, so it was a case of ‘Josh you’re out, Mallik you’re in’. With Callum Paterson, I wanted him to come in today for Gregory.

“Fizz and Tyreeq came in for their physique and power, to get after Burton, so they came in as well.

“The only one that was forced was Dominic Iorfa, and that’s no problem. He came in and was excellent, him and Macca (Mark McGuinness). The changes are always going to happen – I’ve done it before, and I can envisage doing it again in the season.”

Moore also issued a positive update on goalscorer, Barry Bannan, after he suffered some discomfort and was eventually substituted off.

“He’s fine,” he insisted. “He’s just a little bit stiff. He got a knee in his hip or glute and started stiffening up – that bruise can turn into a pull, so when he was tightening up I just wanted to get him off the pitch.

“We wanted him to start the second half for the first 10 or 15 minutes for continuity, but then we had to get him off.”

Wednesday are now off League One duty for a couple of weeks, with FA Cup and Carabao Cup games against Morecambe and Southampton on the horizon.

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