Preview: Peterborough v Owls

Wednesday will be looking to put a woeful January behind them as they kick-start February with a tough-looking trip to promotion-chasing Peterborough United.

The Owls failed to win a league game in January - both of their victories came in the FA Cup - and slid down to 12th in the npower League One table as a result.

The pressure is on boss Alan Irvine to start claiming wins - and wins against their promotion rivals, of which they've failed to do so far this season.

Three points at London Road would go a little way to showing Irvine is up to the task of guiding the Owls back into the promotion race this season, but it won't be easy against a Posh side sitting on the edge of the play-offs.

Posh will be boosted with the return of influential captain Grant McCann from suspension. McCann is set to return straight into the starting eleven as Posh aim to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat at Colchester United at the weekend.

Lee Frecklington has also returned from a long-term ankle injury and could win a place in the Peterborough midfielder after featuring as a late substitute in Saturday's match.

Darren Ferguson has also signed goalkeeper Paul Jones on loan from Exeter, and the stopper could go straight into the squad for the visit of the Owls.

The former Leicester City midfielder is key for Posh and will provide the ideal midfield battle for Owls new-boy Isaiah Osbourne. Wesolowski was tipped for big things with the Foxes before his progress fell a bit flat, but he's more than a match for most midfielders at League One level.

Wednesday boss Alan Irvine could give a debut to on-loan Aston Villa midfielder Isaiah Osbourne, after the midfielder penned a deal from the Barclays Premier League club on Sunday.

Osbourne has been out of favour at Villa and will see a move to Hillsborough as the chance to revive a career that promised so much when he arrived on the scene.

A defensive-minded midfielder, Osbourne should add some much-needed protection to the back four and add some bite to the midfield.

Irvine will have to decide whether to stick with Clinton Morrison and Paul Heffernan in attack. The strike pairing worked well in the 4-2 defeat of Hereford United in the FA Cup at the weekend.

But Irvine could favour a return of Gary Madine to the starting eleven after he was cup-tied for Saturday's clash with the Bulls.

But midfielder Tommy Miller and defender Lewis Buxton are both definitely out through injury.

The on-loan midfield man is set to make his debut for the Owls since moving to the club on-loan from Aston Villa on Sunday. Owls fans will be keen to see if he's the man Wednesday have been desperately missing in the middle of the park - let's hope so.

Form:

Posh: L-W-L-W-L

Wednesday: W-D-L-D-W

Head-To-Head:

Posh wins: 3

Wednesday wins: 8

Draws:

Last Time Out:

Wednesday 2-1 Peterborough

Hillsborough, 23/01/10

The last time the two sides met was last season in the Championship as Wednesday ran out 2-1 winners with a vital victory. Marcus Tudgay scored both goals for the Owls.

v MK Dons (H) - 05/02/10

v Rochdale (A) - 12/02/10

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