Xisco offers Sheffield Wednesday selection hint and gives Mallik Wilks latest

The Owls take on the Stags at 7.45pm for a spot in the third round of the competition after seeing off Stockport County via a penalty shootout in their opening fixture, and it’s a game that they’ll see as a big opportunity to end their poor run of form.

Wednesday are yet to win game in 90 minutes since Xisco arrived at the club earlier in the summer, but League Town Mansfield offer as good a chance as any to change that on home soil.

Xisco has used a whole host of different players in his tenure so far, and his comments ahead of this game have suggested that there may well be changes from the side that lost 2-1 to Cardiff City at the weekend – potentially even seeing a first game of the season for attacker, Mallik Wilks.

"Every day is important,” he told the media when asked about the encounter. “I know what the responsibility is, being manager of this club. I know we have some players who do not have the minutes in the Championship so far so maybe we can use them, maybe not. We will see how they arrive, how they are and after we’ll try to give our best for the next game.

"Mallik is in the adapting process so we’ll see if the doctor gives me the okay for him for the next game. But he is working very hard. We will see. We will see what happens and the recovery of the players. We’ll try and put out our best team. Some players need minutes. (Djeidi) Gassama played yesterday with the under-21s because he had no pre-season. We’ll see which first XI we put (out).”

Akin Famewo missed the defeat to Cardiff as it was decided that he would be rested after playing every minute of the Owls’ league campaign up until then, and only time will tell whether he’ll be called upon at S6 tonight as Xisco’s men look to secure victory.