Injury-hit Sheffield Wednesday face uphill task ahead of Hull City showdown

Sheffield Wednesday look set to lean even more heavily on their young talent when they welcome Hull City to Hillsborough on Friday night, as their growing injury crisis continues to strip Henrik Pedersen of senior options.

The Owls’ fitness problems have been a constant talking point in recent weeks, but the situation now appears more severe than ever. Pedersen’s squad is stretched to its limits, with the term “threadbare” barely capturing the scale of the challenge facing the South Yorkshire club. During last weekend’s defeat to Ipswich Town at Portman Road, the substitutes’ bench was almost entirely made up of academy prospects, underlining how thin the senior ranks have become. Even among the starting XI, several players are showing signs of fatigue after being asked to shoulder heavy workloads.

Concerns deepened further during that Ipswich match when Dominic Iorfa, Max Lowe and Charlie McNeill were all forced off with injury-related issues. Their withdrawals added to an already lengthy list of absentees, and there are now serious doubts over whether any of the trio will be fit enough to take part in Friday’s Championship clash against Hull at S6.

With fresh injuries compounding existing problems, Sheffield Wednesday are expected to make a number of enforced changes against the Tigers. In addition to those already sidelined, several players are believed to have been ruled out in the days following the Ipswich defeat, leaving Pedersen scrambling to piece together a competitive matchday squad.

As things stand, Wednesday reportedly have only around seven players aged 22 or over available for selection, and possibly even fewer. Among that limited group is second-choice goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, who himself is nearing the end of his loan spell and is expected to depart South Yorkshire in the near future. The lack of experienced bodies has left the Owls relying almost entirely on youth to plug the gaps.

Pedersen has already been forced to turn to the club’s younger players throughout the 2025/26 season, handing opportunities to several academy graduates earlier than might have been planned. The upcoming fixture against Hull could see that trend reach unprecedented levels, with the possibility that Wednesday name one of the youngest matchday squads in the club’s history for a league game.

Despite the obvious challenges, the head coach has had little choice but to trust in his emerging talents, many of whom have been thrown into high-pressure situations amid difficult circumstances. While the youngsters have shown commitment and resilience, the lack of senior leadership and depth has made consistency hard to achieve.

Off the pitch, there has been at least a small reprieve for the battered squad. According to reports, Wednesday’s players have been granted Christmas Day off ahead of the Hull encounter. Pedersen is understood to have sanctioned the break in the hope that some much-needed rest and time with family might help lift spirits and aid recovery during what has been an exhausting and demoralising spell.

With injuries mounting and options dwindling, Sheffield Wednesday head into the festive fixture schedule facing a stern test of character and endurance. The visit of Hull City comes at a time when the Owls are stretched to breaking point, and how they cope with the ongoing crisis could prove crucial to their campaign. For now, Pedersen and his staff can only hope that rest, recovery, and the continued bravery of their young players will be enough to carry them through another demanding night at Hillsborough.