What Garry Monk said about the prospect of Steven Fletcher returning to the Sheffield Wednesday side this weekend

Fletcher injured his knee in an innocuous-looking challenge with Brighton’s Gaetan Bong in the Owls’ FA Cup win at the start of January and was initially expected to be out for ‘eight to 10 weeks’.

But the 32-year-old has come through his rehabilitation ahead of time and Owls boss Garry Monk suggested he could feature in their clash with Birmingham City this weekend.

“That's one real positive,” he said. “He's been back in training this week, so that's good.

“We'll be making a decision on him, he's come through his fitness really well and his rehab has been brilliant. He's been back in training, it's only his first week but he's a fit lad anyway, so we'll make a decision on him.”

The Owls are on a horror run of just one win in their last 10 league matches that has seen them fall from third to 12th in the Championship table.

Monk has admitted it is no coincidence that run has coincided with Fletcher’s absence and with loanee front man Connor Wickham still building match fitness after a similarly long lay off during his time with Crystal Palace, the Owls have no time for waiting when it comes to the Scot’s reintroduction to the side.

Asked whether he would risk selecting Fletcher at St Andrews despite the fact he has only just returned to training, Monk said: “It's a case of he has to be.

“I haven't spoken to him yet so I've let him get on with it, but I'll speak to him today [Thursday] or tomorrow morning in terms of how he feels.

“Obviously it's a big ask for him to be expected to be able to play 90 minutes with intensity, but it's a positive feeling with him being back out there. If we can use him then we'll try and do that but I need to speak with him first and see where he's at.”