Boss Jim Magilton could give debuts to three of his January signings when the Blues travel to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. Stephen Bywater will be in goal, while David Norris and Velice Sumulikoski are both likely to be in midfield if the Macedonian receives international clearance in time.

Magilton, who had a spell at Sheffield Wednesday as a player prior to joining the Blues, is pleased with the additions he has made to his squad but, after failing to land Leicester City central defender Gareth McAuley, is still looking for more. The Blues boss has confirmed he will look at further signings when the emergency loan window opens next Friday.

The Town manager hopes that the January recruits will spur on the players already at the club: “Our five new quality signings will not breed insecurity. They will breed healthy competition.

“With places up for grabs it will mean players will have to play better. It will keep them focused. I am confident our new players will fit in well and we will hit the ground running.”

Town fans will be particularly keen to see David Norris in action after a transfer saga which stretches back to the summer. Magilton says the 26-year-old is his ideal player: “He epitomises what I like about the game with enthusiasm and desire. He will get better and is the right age to step up.”

Magilton has also confirmed that new goalkeeper Stephen Bywater and Alex Bruce have “kissed and made up” after their spat in last season's Town-Derby game which saw the pair red-carded and continue the quarrel on their way to the tunnel.

Bywater, in his customary number 43 shirt, the highest number to have been worn by a Town player, will be in goal with fellow new signing Nick Colgan on the bench.

Spanish full-back Sito serves the second game of his two-match suspension, which is likely to see Dan Harding continue at left-back and David Wright stay on the right.

Bruce, who had a loan spell at Hillsborough in 2005, and skipper Jason De Vos will be at centre-half, although Richard Naylor will be pushing for a first team place after his lengthy absence with toe and back problems.

Most of Town's new signings have come in midfield and that's where Magilton has plenty of selection dilemmas. Norris is likely to play on the right, while Sumulikoski could come in at the centre alongside Owen Garvan.

Alan Quinn, who started his career with the Owls, may continue on the left, particularly if Magilton wants to use Jon Walters up front. Liam Trotter is back after his three-match ban but looks unlikely to be involved, while Danny Haynes will probably to return to his super-sub role.

Pablo Couñago and Jon Walters look likely to be the starting pair with Alan Lee having been left on the bench for the last few weeks. The frontman is without a goal from open play since the Norwich game at the beginning of November.

Wednesday added loanees Enoch Showunmi and Graham Kavanagh to their squad in the transfer window and they are likely to go straight into the side, while midfielder Glenn Whelan moved on to Stoke on deadline day.

Veteran Steve Watson is out with a hamstring injury, while winger Etienne Esajas is set for a late fitness test on a foot problem. Akpo Sodje and former Town loanee Franny Jeffers are both out with ankle injuries.

Town have beaten Wednesday 13 times (12 in the league), the sides have drawn five times (four) and the Owls have been victorious on 16 occasions (15). Last season's game at Hillsborough ended 2-0 to the home side, while the Blues defeated the Owls 4-1 on the opening day of the season with Lee scoring twice and Couñago and Gary Roberts once each.

Fans travelling by train should be warned that there are currently problems between St Pancras and Sheffield, which are expected to stretch into tomorrow.

Saturday's referee is Colin Webster from Tyne and Wear, who has shown 53 yellow cards and one red in 25 games so far this season. His last Town match was the 2-2 draw at Burnley earlier in the season in which the Blues had a goal wrongly disallowed for offside in the final minute.

Boss Jim Magilton was so incensed by the decision that he confronted Webster after the game and was later fined for using abusive and/or insulting words towards the official.

Likely squad: Bywater, Colgan, Wright, Harding, De Vos, Naylor, Wilnis, Garvan, Sumulikoski, Norris, Quinn, Miller, Williams, Walters, Couñago, Lee, Haynes, Rhodes.

Photo: Action Images

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