Coventry City v Sheffield Wednesday: Danny Rohl not hiding his priorities ahead of FA Cup replay

Sheffield Wednesday's manager is making no bones about it – the side he selects for Tuesday's fourth-round replay at Coventry City will be picked with Friday's Championship visit of Birmingham City very much in mind.

Bar resting Josh Windass, whose muscle problems continue to be a concern, Rohl named a strong team for January's 1-1 draw but it seems unlikely one of only two Yorkshire sides in the competition – Leeds also face a replay on Tuesday, at Plymouth Argyle – will be going all out to secure a fifth-round home game against the lowest-ranked side left in the competition, Conference South Maidstone United.

Saturday's 4-0 defeat at 21st-placed Huddersfield Town widened the gap to safety to eight points, and was compounded by a Queens Park Rangers win at Blackburn Rovers.

After five games without victory, the Owls could do with one in the west Midlands to pick up some lost momentum but it appears Rohl's thinking will be all about going into Friday's game at Hillsborough fresh.

"I will have to decide what is best to achieve our goals in the league," explained Rohl, when asked about his early thoughts on selection. "I want the cup, it's nice, but the important key point is Friday, of course.

"I have to look at who's available. Like on Saturday, the final decision will be on matchday. Even when you decide, sometimes it's not clear until the warm-up and you have to look at who's available and who's not.

"We have a big game against Birmingham.

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"After 60 minutes on Saturday it was 0-0 so to lose 4-0 is hard to take but I had the feeling a bit that we were not 100 per cent. When you have games, games, games you have to be fresh in your mind, fresh in your legs. It was maybe my fault. As the manager I take responsibility for this."

Like deadline-night signings Ian Poveda and Kristian Pedersen, goalkeeper James Beadle is Cup-tied so with Cameron Dawson injured, 18-year--old Pierce Charles will get the chance to build on his debut in the first game.

Teenage full-back Gui Siqueira, a substitute in both FA Cup ties thus far, could be handed a maiden senior start.

The competition also offers an opportunity to those senior players left out of the 25-man squad list which has been submitted to the Football League and is due to be made public later this week.

Marvin Johnson is unlikely to be risked having been left out on Saturday, but his unspecified injury is thought to be minor.

This season’s fourth post-Christmas meeting between the sides will be the last, with the tie decided on the night, by extra time and penalties if needs be.

This week's replays will be the last in this season's competition and potentially the last ever involving clubs from the top two divisions, with pressure from the leading clubs to scrap them to ease congestion.

Judging by his comments, Rohl will be in favour of that.