Stoke City team news vs Sheffield Wednesday as Mark Robins forced into change
Tatsuki Seko comes into the Stoke City starting XI at Sheffield Wednesday.
Seko replaces Ben Pearson in the only change made by Mark Robins, with Pearson having limped off in last week’s win over Derby County with what is believed to be a minor injury.
It means Viktor Johansson starts in goal behind a back four of Junior Tchamadeu, Aaron Cresswell, Ben Wilmot and Bosun Lawal. Seko will be joined in midfield by Lewis Baker and Bae Junho.
Sorba Thomas and Million Manhoef will flank Divin Mubama up front.
Summer signings Jamie Donley, Robert Bozenik and Ashley Phillips are on the bench, as well as youth graduates Jaden Mears and Will Smith.
There will be protests against Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri from the home supporters following a summer of crisis, including a mock funeral in Hillsborough Park.
Robins said in his pre-match press conference: “There’s a lot of empathy there, I’m sure, from everybody in football because you don’t want your club to be going through situations like that for the players and the staff. It must be very difficult in this day and age when people have mortgages to pay and the price of everything is going through the roof. It’s a worrying time so there’s a lot of empathy for them.
“What it will also mean is that supporters are right behind the players and it galvanises people. There is a cause there and that can be dangerous for opponents. It can be a heady mix for those who are working for Sheffield Wednesday at this time.
“It doesn’t change for us: we’re going to a brilliant place to go and play football and we’ve got a difficult opponent. We saw that in the two games they’ve played.
“We’ll be prepared and it’s about us in every given situation to back up a really good performance against Derby County and try to claim an away win. There are a lot of things to be confident about and also understand the situation that we’re walking into.”
Stoke: Johansson, Tchamadeu, Cresswell, Lawal, Wilmot, Seko, Baker, Junho, Thomas, Manhoef, Mubama. Subs: Bonham, Mears, Gibson, Phillips, Bocat, Smith, Donley, Fawunmi, Bozenik.
Leave a Reply