Why Marvin Johnson was left out for Sheffield Wednesday’s Southampton defeat

The 32-year-old became a mainstay in Darren Moore’s Owls side, playing almost 100 games over two seasons and contributing to lots of goals and assists as they secured promotion back into the Championship.

Johnson has gone on to play a large part in preseason for Wednesday under new manager, Xisco, being utilised on both flanks further up the pitch than in the wingback role that he made his own since arriving at Hillsborough - but was nowhere to be seen on the squadlist for the 2-1 defeat against the Saints.

With George Byers being left out due to a minor muscle complaint there were some concerns that Johnson too had sustained an issue - but it turns out that his absence was purely based on selection.

“We can only pick 11 players,” Xisco told the media after the game. “I need 22 players in the squad. It is important that all the players are ready to play. We are one squad. We are one team and everybody needs to be ready to play in the next game... We have 21 players (in the squad) and after training I made a decision.”

With lots of games on the horizon it certainly doesn’t mean that the former Middlesbrough man won’t have a role to play this season, though, and he’ll be hoping to try and force his way back into the side for their upcoming midweek game against Stockport County in the Carabao Cup.

That fixture will be their first cup game of the season, and will begin at 7.45pm on Tuesday evening at Hillsborough.