Sheffield Wednesday receive clear player warning ahead of Derby County | OneFootball

Henrik Pedersen will contest Derby County clash following medical advice on player minutes

Sheffield Wednesday’s preparations for Monday night’s televised Championship meeting with Derby County have been overshadowed by deepening concerns over player fitness.

For a squad already operating at the margins, the warning underlines the scale of the challenge facing Henrik Pedersen as his side attempt to navigate a punishing festive schedule amid long-standing structural constraints.

Wednesday head into the Derby fixture rooted to the foot of the Championship table, their relegation all but mathematically confirmed following a season shaped by a points deduction, ownership uncertainty and limited squad investment.

Yet despite the bleak arithmetic, Pedersen’s side have remained stubbornly competitive, their midweek draw at Watford extending a winless run but again highlighting narrow margins rather than wholesale collapse.

Sheffield Wednesday injury concerns deepen before Derby County clash - Henrik Pedersen given fresh medical advice

The Owls’ resilience, however, is being increasingly tested by physical strain.

According to The Star, the accumulation of fixtures has prompted Wednesday’s medical staff to advise that up to five senior players may need to have their minutes carefully managed against the Rams. With rotation options minimal, such restrictions present a significant tactical dilemma.

The concern is compounded by confirmation that Nathan Redmond has become the latest addition to an already lengthy injury list.

Signed on a short-term deal following EFL approval for the recruitment of free agents, the former England international has sustained a groin injury and is expected to miss the majority - if not all - of his brief stint at Hillsborough.

His absence further thins a squad that has relied heavily on a core group throughout the campaign.

Captain Barry Bannan remains central to Wednesday’s hopes of staying competitive. Withdrawn at half-time during Tuesday’s draw at Watford, the Scotland international has not been ruled out of facing Derby and could yet feature in some capacity.

His importance is difficult to overstate: Bannan has played all but 18 minutes of Wednesday’s league season, leading the side for chance creation and ranking among the Championship’s most productive midfielders by underlying metrics.

Wednesday will be without Yan Valery, after Tunisia declined a request to delay his release for the Africa Cup of Nations.

There is greater optimism surrounding Sean Fusire, with Zimbabwe expected to allow the young wing-back to feature before travelling, offering Pedersen at least a partial reprieve.

Festive fixture congestion will test resilience and limits of Sheffield Wednesday’s squad

The immediate challenge is as much about load management as opposition quality. December’s festive congestion - traditionally demanding even for well-resourced squads - presents a particular threat to a Wednesday group already stretched close to breaking point.

Estimates suggest Pedersen may have as few as 13 or 14 senior players available on Monday, with several unlikely to last a full match.

Against a Derby side built around physicality, aerial strength and direct play, that imbalance could be decisive.

Pedersen has spoken openly about the need to restore energy after successive away trips, acknowledging that preparation at this stage is shaped less by tactical innovation than by recovery.

Yet the situation also reflects the broader context of Wednesday’s season. Recruitment restrictions remain in place, with no expectation of short-term relief despite the injury situation and any meaningful squad reinforcement likely contingent on a change of ownership - which is anticipated, at the earliest, in the New Year.

In the meantime, the club continues to lean heavily on younger players, who have shown promise but are being asked to shoulder responsibility in unforgiving circumstances.

Relegation may be inevitable, but performances have not collapsed. The return of goalkeeper Pierce Charles has offered renewed stability, while the collective spirit within the squad has drawn praise from supporters and staff alike.