Match Preview: Saints v Sheffield Wednesday

Team News:

Saints:

After our crushing win against Aston Villa wholesale changes are expected for the Carling Cup. It is expected that Kelvin Davis will remain dropped with either Paolo Gazzaniga continuing in goal or Artur Boruc making his debut. Danny Butterfield and Danny Seaborne are in line to feature in defence as well as highly rated academy product Luke Shaw at left back. Other fringe players Richard Chaplow, Steve De Ridder and Guly Do Prado will be hoping for game time along with long term injuries Tadanari Lee and Jack Cork. A full debut for Zambian striker Emmanuel Mayuka is a possibility after his promising cameo at the end of our last league fixture.

Sheffield Wednesday:

In comparison to Saints, Sheffield Wednesday are expected to be fielding as strong a first eleven as possible with only on loan striker Jay Bothroyd and young scottish midfielder Rhys McCabe expected to be unavailable. Ex-Saint Michael Antonio is expected to start the game for the Owls.


Match Build Up:

We have to go back to our time in League 1 just 17 short months ago to find our last meetings. Despite being early season promotion candidates, Sheffield Wednesday's form dipped late into the season as they looked to rebuild ahead of their promotion campaign of last year. To their immense satisfaction Sheffield Wednesday edged out city rivals Sheffield United to the final League One promotion spot behind Charlton Athletic.

Two wins, 1-0 away and 2-0 at home provided 6 points for the Saints over the Owls in our successful 2010/11 season. With that in mind a victory would provide a certain degree of satisfaction over a side Wednesday will have considered in the recent past to be a direct rival. With a full strength side against what is expected to be a reserve/second string Saints team they will more then fancy a victory.

It is with hope that Saints will be looking to progress. Birmingham City proved that the League Cup final can allow a chance for glory for those considered to outside of the Premier League's elite, with memories of the 2010 Wembley visit for the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final still fresh we would all surely love to emulate that success in England's second highest profile cup competition.