Not a Sheffield Wednesday side that will be short of rest. Three weeks after the goalless draw with Stockport County, league football returns for the Owls with a short trip to the Accu Stadium on Saturday (3pm). They face a Huddersfield Town side that sits one place and one point above them in League One.
Wednesday are fourth on 14 points from seven games. Huddersfield are third on 15 points from eight. A win in West Yorkshire would take Pedersen's side above the Terriers, and they would still have the rearranged home game against Cambridge United to come on 27 October.
Three weeks without a league game
Both the Cambridge game and the trip to Stevenage were postponed because of international call-ups, so Wednesday haven't played a league match since Stockport. They dropped from second to fourth in the meantime without kicking a ball. A planned behind-closed-doors friendly against a Championship club was also cancelled, and Wednesday held an in-house game instead. Pedersen didn't hide his view of the gap: "I think it's way too long… I would much more prefer a normal system and then we get a rhythm again."
Wednesday did get a competitive game in midweek, beating Sunderland's under-21s 2–0 at Hillsborough in the Jersey Mike's Trophy to make it two wins from two in the group. Jaden Heskey opened the scoring with a neat dink from close range, and Barry Bannan added the second with a strike that gave the goalkeeper no chance. Wednesday controlled the game, although Sunderland wasted a couple of clear chances. Wednesday appeared to come through the 90 minutes without any new injury problems.
The last two league games produced back-to-back goalless draws at Hillsborough, against Wigan Athletic and Stockport. That gave Wednesday two clean sheets but no goals. Their away form has been much better: they've won all three league games on the road so far, each by 2–1, at Leyton Orient, Wycombe Wanderers and Peterborough United.
Selection questions for Pedersen
Selection was the big talking point after Stockport. Jamal Lowe, the club's leading scorer, was used on the left, and Davis Keillor-Dunn started on the right. Harry Gray and Kieran Morrison came off the bench in the second half and immediately gave Wednesday more of an attacking threat. Both have been away on international duty, Gray with England U19s and Morrison with Northern Ireland, where he made his senior debut and provided an assist in a 3–0 Nations League win. Both are due back in time for Saturday, as is Yan Valery, who has been with Tunisia.
Ali Al-Hamadi is the main doubt. He withdrew from the Iraq squad with an ankle problem after one training session and has since been pictured back in training at Middlewood Road. Pedersen has said he needed more information before judging how serious it is.
Max Lowe, Sil Swinkels and Jordi Liongola are back training but are expected to miss this one. George Brown faces a longer rehabilitation. Di'Shon Bernard, who returned at Salford after 19 months out, is in the final stages of his recovery.
Huddersfield under Martin Drury
Drury took the job permanently in May after taking over as acting manager in March. He spent two years at Wednesday as a youngster between 2004 and 2006 but never made the first team. His side won his first full month in charge, and he was named League One Manager of the Month for August. They are still unbeaten in the league at home, with wins over AFC Wimbledon (3–0) and Oxford United (3–1) and a 1–1 draw with Notts County.
September was harder. Draws with Notts County and Mansfield Town and a 2–1 defeat at Bromley made it three league games without a win, before last weekend's 3–1 win at Burton Albion. Derensili Sanches Fernandes, Bali Mumba and ex-Owl Ashley Fletcher scored, and two of the goals came from defensive mistakes by the home side. Drury admitted his team had less control and fewer shots than usual but won anyway: "We were ruthless when we got our chances… Limiting them to four shots in 90 minutes and being clinical at the other end is really pleasing."
Huddersfield team news
Joe Taylor is expected to be back. He has five league goals this season and missed the Burton game while with Wales. Drury said he came back "in really good shape" after training well with the squad.
Huddersfield are without two experienced players. Captain Ryan Ledson damaged ligaments in his elbow and tore his tricep against Mansfield on 12 September. Drury said at the time he expected him to be out for four to six weeks, so this game comes towards the early end of that timescale. Defender Jack Whatmough is out again after hurting his calf in a training warm-up during the break. Drury said calf injuries "are never a quick thing".
There was better news on Sean Roughan, who came on late at Burton for his first appearance since early August after a thigh injury. Samson Tovide is still building his fitness after getting over tonsillitis, and both were in line for minutes in midweek against Rochdale. Radinio Balker had cramp at Burton but Drury said: "He should be fine."
Recent meetings
The clubs last met in the Championship in 2023/24. The game at Hillsborough in October 2023 finished goalless, and Huddersfield won the return fixture 4–0 in February 2024.
Tickets and coverage
Wednesday have 2,342 tickets for the away end. They have sold out every away allocation so far this season, and tickets for this game went on general sale on 6 October. Because it's a 3pm Saturday kick-off, the match won't be shown live in the UK.
Wednesday go into the game unbeaten on the road in the league, and Huddersfield go in unbeaten at home. With Huddersfield missing their captain and Wednesday still holding a game in hand, Saturday is a real chance for the Owls to put themselves back in the top two after three weeks on the sidelines.