What Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore said on Josh Windass conspiracy rumours after Sunderland absence

It has been nearly three weeks since Wednesday’s last match after back-to-back postponements.

The evening saw the return of Chey Dunkley to the side but his outing was cut short after just half an hour owing to a hamstring issue Moore hopes will not be too serious.

And injury also saw to Windass’ absence, with Moore confirming the forward was taken out of contention for a place in the matchday squad as a precaution.

“We feel it’s a minor one and rather than risk him tonight we took him out of it. He’s so close but having been out for so long sometimes you pick up these minor strains and that’s all part and parcel of getting back into it.

“Rather than play him we want to get him back right. For Josh it’s not about one or two games, it’s about getting him back for the whole season.”

News that he had not made the squad for the heavy defeat at Sunderland sparked theories on social media that he was to be sold in the forthcoming January transfer window amid reports of interest from the Championship.

It was a theory Moore was quick to dispell.

“There’s no move on the card at all,” he said. “He’s just picked up a little strain. We’ll assess him in the week and it’s a precaution more than anything.

“I’d rather have him firing on all cylinders for the second half of the season to risking him for one or two.”