Video: Ross Wallace says Sheffield Wednesday will stay fresh for Championship challenge

Ross Wallace is confident Sheffield Wednesday will overcome the loss of injured central defender Tom Lees.

The Owls missed out on the chance to take three points in Sunday’s goalless stalemate with high-flying Derby County and are still awaiting their first victory over a top-six side this term.

They remain just outside the play-off positions, but Wallace is sure things will be different at the business end of the campaign, thanks to the quality of options available at head coach Carlos Carvalhal’s disposal.

Wallace said: “It’s early days. We’ve got a big squad and we will keep rotating players and, hopefully, at the back end of the season, we will have a fresh team and can kick on.

“Then it what will benefit us later on in the season. Some clubs will have the same players and they are going to be fatigued.

“We have got players who we can chop and change and come in and do just as good a job and keep a level performance.

“Hopefully, at the back of the season, we will see the rewards for that.

“We aren’t too fussed about that (not beating a top-six side). We are just concentrating on performance and getting a result.

“We played some good stuff against one of the fancied teams in this league and, for large parts, we outplayed them.

“We are getting clapped off at the end because the fans appreciate the hard work. The shape of the team is good and teams are finding it hard to play against us.

“Their manager said that their players never had any time on the ball.”

The quality in the Owls’ squad was manifested by the way in which Sam Hutchinson slotted seamlessly into the heart of the back four in the absence of Tom Lees (hamstring problem).

Wallace is the first to admit that the Owls will miss Lees, the former Leeds United man having performed consummately this season, but is equally adamant that the side will cope.

He added: “It’s a big blow. Tom has played really well this season and has played pretty much every game. He’s a good professional, but I don’t think Michael Turner is that far away and Sam (Hutchinson) played well on Sunday.”