Louie Barry starts: The Sheffield Wednesday XI Henrik Pederson should play v Leyton Orient on Saturday | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday should line up like this ahead of their League One opener on Saturday

Sheffield Wednesday begin their 2026/27 League One campaign with a trip to the 2025 play-off finalists, Leyton Orient.

Henrik Pedersen's side got off to a winning start in the EFL Cup last weekend, beating Championship new-boys Bolton Wanderers, who were reduced to 10 men in the second half, 1-0.

They'll be hoping to take that momentum into their first third-tier outing since the play-off final win over Barnsley in 2023, but it won't be easy against an Orient side looking to leave the disappointment of last season's relegation near-miss behind them, and who also progressed to the second round of the EFL Cup last weekend, beating Oxford United 2-0.

Wednesday will hope to be among the promotion hunters this year, and will be looking to kick off the campaign with three points. Here's who Henrik Pedersen should line up with to help take those points back to South Yorkshire.

GK - Joe Lumley

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Sheffield Wednesday made three goalkeeper signings this summer, and while they don't all strike much confidence, Joe Lumley was given the number one shirt and had a solid second debut for the club against Bolton.

He'll be Henrik Pedersen's first choice in between the sticks to open the campaign, so a start here seems pretty straightforward.

RB - Yan Valery

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It's been somewhat of a pleasant surprise that Yan Valery is still a Sheffield Wednesday player heading into the first weekend of the League One campaign. Many assumed that the Tunisian international would be one of the few Championship-quality players remaining at Hillsborough to move on this summer.

Nevertheless, the 27-year-old, who spent the latter half of last season on loan with Swiss outfit Young Boys, returned to the Wednesday fold and started at right-back in their cup win last weekend.

Pedersen wants to keep him, and he'll be the main option at right-back unless he leaves.

CB - Ricardo Santos

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Ricardo Santos didn't make his competitive debut for Wednesday last weekend, as he was left on the bench while Henrik Pedersen opted for a centre-back pairing of Sil Swinkels and Gabriel Otegbayo.

They may have kept a clean sheet, but there's little doubting that the Owls' first signing of their busy summer window was brought in as a backup.

Santos was dominant at this level while at Bolton, making the PFA League One team of the season in three straight years between 2021 and 2024. The 31-year-old has that experience, and he should be one of the changes Pedersen makes this weekend.

CB - Sil Swinkels

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That being said, it shouldn't be wholesale changes in the centre-back partnership, with Santos partnering former Aston Villa youngster Swinkels.

The 22-year-old has plenty of promise, and will be looking to prove himself at the level after a dud loan spell at Exeter City this time last year.

Wednesday see a lot of potential in him, and playing alongside Santos should help him grow throughout the campaign.

LB - Max Lowe

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The full-back position at Hillsborough has been the one that hasn't needed much improvement this summer. A returning Valery has the potential to be the best in his position in League One, and the same can be said about Max Lowe on the other side.

The 29-year-old has been promoted out of the Championship twice in the last five seasons, and while he has faltered slightly since coming second with Sheffield United in 2022/23, he's still levels above League One.

CM - Barry Bannan

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Barry Bannan is the first name on the teamsheet in midfield.

The Sheffield Wednesday legend marked appearance number 478 and his second debut for the club with a trademark classy assist for the only goal of the game last weekend.

The 36-year-old should still be at an elite level when it comes to operating in the third tier, and he'll pull the strings, looking to orchestrate attacks from deep.

CM - Jarvis Thornton

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Fellow Millwall midfield arrival Billy Mitchell was ruled out of last weekend's EFL Cup tie through a minor injury, and while Henrik Pedersen did say he'd be back in training last Sunday, he may opt against throwing him in from the off.

Academy graduate Jarvis Thornton was handed a new two-year deal this summer, indicating that the club sees him as an important player this year, so having him alongside Bannan in the pivot role instead of Mitchell shouldn't detriment the side at all.

RW - Jordi Liongola

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Jordi Liongola had a brilliant debut for Sheffield Wednesday last weekend, showing his top-flight qualities from his time in the Belgian Pro League last season with RAAL La Louviere.

The 26-year-old was not only bright going forward, creating a couple of chances and playing progressive passes down the right, but he defended well, too, winning most of his duels.

You'd expect Liongola to be the first-choice option on the right-hand side, and he should start the opening league game.

CAM - Callum Slattery

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Callum Slattery was everywhere on his debut against Bolton, drifting from left to right and looking to get on the ball at any given opportunity.

The former Motherwell man arrived at Hillsborough off the back of a career year with the SPL side, netting three and assisting 10 in all competitions, and was signed to be a regular starter in this new-look Wednesday side.

His involvement here, therefore, is no real surprise.

LW - Louie Barry

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The second change from the win against Bolton last weekend sees Louie Barry come in from the off, taking his place on the left-hand side, where we all know how dangerous he can be at this level.

The 23-year-old will be looking to recapture the form he exhibited in the first half of the 2024/25 campaign at Stockport County, where he scored 15 times in 23 league games before being relocated in January to Championship outfit Hull City.