Henrik Pedersen could unleash a new Sheffield Wednesday attack for the first time vs AFC Wimbledon
Five pre-match talking points ahead of Sheffield Wednesday’s League One clash with AFC Wimbledon at Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon.
Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to secure a much-needed League One victory when they welcome AFC Wimbledon to Hillsborough this afternoon.
The Owls, who won 2-1 the last time the two sides met, recorded a third consecutive league draw in their last outing, fighting back from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw against Huddersfield Town at the Accu Stadium.
Although Wednesday’s late comeback was celebrated like a victory, they have now gone more than a month without a league win. As a result, they will be desperate to claim all three points this afternoon to restore some faith and confidence amid growing frustrations.
Ahead of AFC Wimbledon’s visit, here are five key pre-match talking points:
Will Keillor-Dunn get the nod?
Following an underwhelming first half performance against Huddersfield, Owls boss Henrik Pedersen turned to his bench at half-time, introducing Davis Keillor-Dunn in place of fellow loanee Kieran Morrison. The Wrexham loanee took up residency in the No.10 position, meaning Callum Slattery was forced to operate as an inverted right-winger in the second half.
Keillor-Dunn, who arrived at Hillsborough last month, had a positive influence on proceedings, making things happen from the No.10 berth. He registered four key passes, attempted five shots and completed 86 per cent of his passes, meaning he should be in Pedersen’s thoughts for a place in the starting XI this afternoon.
Having previously identified the No.10 position as his preferred role, Keillor-Dunn’s influence in that position last time out did not go unnoticed. If Wednesday are to get the best out of him, they need to deploy him in his preferred role.
If that means getting the nod ahead of Slattery, all eyes will be on the former Motherwell man to see whether he maintains his record of starting every League One match so far this season. Slattery is less effective on the wing, meaning Morrison could get the nod on the right, potentially forcing Slattery to start a league match on the bench for the first time this season.
If that happens, Pedersen could deploy a new-look attack for the first time.
Who will be left out?
With Ipswich Town loanee Ali Al-Hamadi back in contention following a recent injury lay-off, Pedersen faces the dilemma of leaving one of Wednesday’s six loanees out of the matchday squad this weekend, with the permitted limit set at five.
The last time Pedersen faced this dilemma, the Dane left Manchester City loanee Jaden Heskey out of the squad for the 0-0 draw with Wigan Athletic, highlighting his preference for including more attacking options. However, Heskey found the net against Sunderland’s Under-21s in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy last Tuesday before delivering the cross that led to Wednesday’s first goal in their dramatic draw at Huddersfield.
With that in mind, Heskey is likely to be included in the matchday squad, meaning one of Harry Gray, Mason Burstow, Morrison, Al-Hamadi and Keillor-Dunn could miss out. There is no obvious solution, leaving Pedersen with a difficult decision to make.
Restore some belief
From a results perspective, Wednesday have enjoyed a respectable start to the season amid the scale of change that took place over the summer, losing just two of their first 12 matches across all competitions. However, three consecutive league draws, coupled with some uninspiring and disjointed performances, have seen tension and frustration grow in recent weeks.
Following a hat-trick of league draws, Wednesday will be keen to get back to winning ways this afternoon and do so with a degree of swagger. They have won just one of their first four home league games this season, failing to score in three of them, including their last two.
Facing a Wimbledon side that has lost three of its first five away league games this season, conceding ten goals in the process, should be viewed as an opportunity for Wednesday to get back on track. They need to take the game to their opponents and set the tempo, much like they did when they put seven past Bromley in August.
With some supporters starting to get restless at the lack of urgency, Wednesday need to make a bright start, stamp their authority on the game and ensure their supporters head home happy.
Jackon’s joy vs Wednesday
His only previous meeting with Wednesday as a manager ended in a 2-0 defeat at Hillsborough in February 2022, when he was in charge of Charlton Athletic. However, Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson enjoyed plenty of success against the Owls during his playing career.
The 44-year-old faced Wednesday more times (16) than any other club during his career, so it is hardly surprising that he never scored more goals against another opponent than he did against the Owls. He scored four times against Wednesday, with all four goals coming while he was playing for Charlton.
His most memorable strike against the Owls came via a free-kick in January 2012, helping Charlton secure a 1-0 win at Hillsborough as the two sides went head-to-head in a promotion-chasing clash. That result accounted for one of only two home defeats Wednesday suffered en route to winning promotion from League One alongside the Addicks in the 2011/12 season.
As well as scoring at Hillsborough that season, Jackson also found the net against Wednesday at The Valley in January 2013 and November 2015. The former Charlton skipper, who also scored four goals against Peterborough United and Cardiff City during his career, has been in charge of Wimbledon since May 2022 and guided them to promotion from League Two via the play-offs at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Chasing another home shut out
Although Wednesday’s goalless draws with Wigan and Stockport at Hillsborough before the international break made for frustrating viewing from an attacking perspective, they did at least see Pedersen’s side record their first League One clean sheets of the season.
Wednesday have not looked particularly vulnerable defensively this season, with improvements instead needed at the other end of the pitch. Nevertheless, keeping the back door shut, particularly on home soil, should provide a solid foundation for the Owls to build on.
Having kept clean sheets in each of their last two home league games, Wednesday will be aiming to record three consecutive shutouts in the league at Hillsborough for the first time since a run of seven in a row in League One between November 2022 and February 2023.
The Owls also kept Sunderland’s U21s at bay in their most recent outing at Hillsborough, securing a 2-0 victory in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy last week. As a result, they will be looking to record a fourth consecutive home clean sheet across all competitions.