Sheffield Wednesday v Burton Albion: Darren Moore braced for fresh challenge from familiar foes

The Owls won 2-0 in Staffordshire in early February, with the Hillsborough fixture scheduled for on Boxing Day being postponed due to a Covid outbreak, and now rearranged for this evening.

Moore’s team is building confidence with only one defeat breaking up a run of six victories. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s, by contrast, has only won one of their last seven.

Since the last meeting, the Brewers have signed former Middlesbrough midfielder Adlene Guedioura from Sheffield United and ex-Hull City and Huddersfield Town striker Oumar Niasse.

“We’ll take into account the fact we played them a few weeks ago but so many things can change because even a week in football is a mighty long time so we’ll have a look at the personnel and the system or formation changes they’ve had,” said Moore.

He scouted his old club at Sunderland last week, taking advantage of the Owls’ postponement against Accrington Stanley to hot-foot it to the Stadium of Light.

“They’re a good team, a solid team, very workmanlike, very strong to play against,” he said. “I went to their game against Sunderland and they were solid and disappointed not to come away with all three points with Sunderland scoring in the last minute.”

Even the dimensions will be different, with the Hillsborough pitch six yards longer and three wider, allowing for a more expansive passing game, particularly down the better-grassed north side less badly affected by the recent weather. “The stadium and surroundings are different and the dimensions of the pitch is different so we’ll take all of those aspects into account because they do play a huge significance,” said Moore. “If they are to our advantage we’ve got to use them.”

Barry Bannan and Marvin Johnson came off with knocks against Charlton but are expected to be fit.

Last six games: Sheffield Wednesday WWLWWW; Burton Albion LDLWDL.

Referee: S Barrott (West Yorkshire).

Last time: Sheffield Wednesday 0 Burton Albion 3, January 1, 2018, Championship.