Sheffield Wednesday youngsters could face Manchester City test in FA Cup

Alex Hunt, Osaze Urhoghide and Preslav Borukov were notable by their absence fro, the under-23s side at Wigan Athletic on Monday, and could instead be in the squad for Wednesday's FA Cup fifth-round tie at home to Manchester City.

Right-back made his Owls debut in the third-round win over Brighton and Hove Albion, and other youngsters could be involved at Hillsborough on Wednesday, as Steven Fletcher will be despite going off at half-time during Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Derby County. Midfielder Hunt made only his second appearance in the fourth round, coming off the bench at Queens Park Rangers, and Bulgarian forward Borukov is yet to play for the first team.

“Those guys are training with us a lot and are available for selection,” confirmed Monk.

“They've been involved throughout most of the season in squads and out of squads.

“If there are young players in the academy I will always try and find that pathway but it's not always been as straight-forward and as easy as that since I've come in here but I'm tryting to show there will be that way going forward.

“It's great to have them guys with us and a lot of them are doing very well.”

Fletcher made his first start since being stretchered off with a knee injury in the third round at home to Derby on Saturday, but was substituted at half-time with the game already gone, as the Owls trailed 3-0.

“The normal process with someone who's been out for a period of time would be to have a few week's blocks of training and and some games with the under-23s,” said manager Monk.

“Needs-must, and with the influence he's had on the team, we put him back him.

"He'll definitely be involved, but to what extent we'll wait and see."

Massimo Luongo and Mo Odubajo returned to training after injury on Tuesday, but are not up to speed to face Manchester City, winner of eight of the last nine domestic trophies after their League Cup victory over Aston Villa on Sunday.

Winger Reach had also been expected back this week, but that has been pushed back to “possibly, hopefully the end of next week.”

Wednesday have no fresh injuries to contend with.

Tom Lees and Kadeem Harris were also substituted against Derby – Lees at the break, Harris before even that – but it will not be held against them.

“No player means to make a mistake,” said Monk. “I've done that myself plenty of times on the pitch. I wasn't just those two. We'll win and lose as a team. You have to make decisions in those moments.

“We're all in it together. I spoke to those two, we're not here to blame those two – they're not to blame. They played a part in it, but it's a collective.

“We're all to blame, me included, but the only way to respond is together. They understand. We'll move on together.”