What Garry Monk said about the continued absence of Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Sam Hutchinson as poor run continues

The former Chelsea man, who finds himself out of contention under Monk alongside long-time number one Keiren Westwood, has played over 150 times for the Owls but is yet to be included in a matchday squad since hobbling out of last month’s FA Cup win at Queens Park Rangers – an absence of four matches.

Wednesday are yet to win in that time – though their poor run of one win in nine league matches began with Hutchinson still entrenched in the side on Boxing Day – and the precise circumstances around the midfielder’s perceived fall-out with Monk remain a mystery.

Wednesday played three in midfield in a 1-0 defeat to bottom club Luton Town in midweek.

Massimo Luongo is not expected back in the side anytime soon after suffering a calf injury and asked whether Hutchinson is ‘done’ under Monk’s reign, the Owls boss said: “We'll see. I make decisions.

“There are things you make decisions for, not just football, lots of things go on within squads and stuff like that.

“At this moment in time the squad is the squad and I pick the squad to try and win games, to try and send them out there with some confidence and belief to win games..

“I'll continue to do that, whoever I pick.

“Every player in the squad knows where they stand.

“I'm very honest, I speak with all of them.

“Every player knows where they stand.”

It is not the first time that Hutchinson and Westwood have found themselves frozen out by a manager.

They were sidelined for much of Jos Luhukay’s reign alongside a number of other senior pros as the Dutchman attempted to transform the changing room.

Hutchinson, who will be 31 by the time next season starts and who’s contract runs out before that, is one of several first team names linked to a summer clear-out at Hillsborough.