Sam Hutchinson on course for Hillsborough return for Sheffield Wednesday

CARLOS CARVALHAL remains confident that midfield enforcer Sam Hutchinson will be back in the fray for the pivotal second leg of the Owls' all-Yorkshire Championship play-off semi-final with Huddersfield Town on Wednesday night.

Hutchinson missed the first instalment at the John Smith’s Stadium on Sunday lunch-time, which ended goalless, with a knee complaint, raising fears that the influential midfielder could be sidelined for a spell.

Quick to allay those fears after Sunday’s encounter at Town, head coach Carvalhal said: “Sam twisted his knee two days before the game.

“He felt a little pain in his knee. He twisted it two days before the game.

“I believe he will recover for Wednesday. He trained (on Saturday). but with a small pain under the knee. It is not something related to what he did before.

“It is something he has twisted a little. You can’t play 100 per cent when you have a small pain, so we decided not to risk him.”