Sheffield Wednesday: Owls boss on Barry Bannan, Josh Windass - and Mallik Wilks’ return

The pair had to sit out the 3-0 defeat to Sunderland on Friday night due to injuries sustained prior to the game, but there was a glimmer of hope that they may be able to make it back in time to face the Baggies. The Owls boss wants them back as soon as possible.

"They are two very important players for us,” he told the media. “Both are injured and tried to arrive for the game but it wasn’t possible."

One positive on another tough night, however, was the return to the fold of Mallik Wilks, who played his first game for the club since back in April. His manager has praised his work ethic and hopes to see him play a role in hopefully turning things around at Hillsborough.

"Mallik was injured in preseason, he was two months without work,” Xisco explained. “Every day he is working very well. It’s the first 20 minutes he has played. He played one game in the U21s but he also had two very good weeks training.

"I know the level of him and he’s a very good player – I am happy with him and I think he can do good things for the team.”

Wednesday are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they take on Darren Moore’s Huddersfield Town at S6, but with pressure heaping up on the club’s Spanish boss there are plenty of question marks about what lies ahead.