Sheffield Wednesday’s threadbare squad will be further strained by the Easter schedule - with the Owls facing decisions over which players play a significant part.

Several Wednesday players have been away on international duty and time is tightened with regard to the Owls’ next fixture given it falls on the Easter weekend - and an away trip to Stoke City on Friday where they are expected to be roared on by a full away allocation of 3,382 supporters.

Some have travelled to far-flung lands for national team duty, among them Jamal Lowe, who has been a near ever-present in the side this season and has been an important figure. Wednesday’s renewed attacking efforts in recent weeks have dovetailed with an improvement in form by the 31-year-old, who has received praise from manager Henrik Pedersen and scored in their last outing - a 3-1 defeat at Hull City.

That form boost saw Lowe receive a call-up for Jamaica after 18 months out of their squads. He earned his 10th international cap in their World Cup qualification play-off semi-final win against New Caledonia on Friday, replacing goalscoring former Owl Bailey Cadamarteri from the bench with 11 minutes to go.

That win set-up a winner-take-all battle with DR Congo on Tuesday night. The match will be played at the Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico and will kick-off at 10pm UK time. It leaves little recovery and travel time for Lowe to return to the UK before Friday’s trip to the Potteries.

Wednesday have routinely been cautious with the first match back from international breaks, with Di’Shon Bernard and latterly Cadamarteri having been rested from the line-up off the back of tight turnarounds. With the Owls squad light in numbers and approaching the end of a long and arduous campaign, it remains to be seen what the policy will be for Lowe in Stoke.

The situation may also impede on Marvelous Nakamba’s chances of heavier involvement given his Zimbabwe side take on Zambia in Botswana at 5pm on Tuesday evening. Other players are involved with their national teams but are based in Europe.