The Blues’ Championship game against rock-bottom Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough remains 0-0 at half-time.

Town made five changes from the team which drew 3-3 at Stoke City, while Jaden Philogene returned to the bench for the first time since suffering his MCL injury in mid-January.

Ben Johnson came in for the suspended Leif Davis at left-back and Jacob Greaves took over from Cedric Kipre, also banned, at left centre-half.

Dan Neil replaced Jack Taylor in midfield alongside Azor Matusiwa, who was considered OK to start despite being subbed with a hamstring injury at Stoke on Tuesday.

Sindre Walle Egeli came back wide on the right and ex-Owl George Hirst was at centre-forward with Wes Burns and Ivan Azon dropping to the bench alongside Taylor, Philogene and Elkan Baggott, among the subs for the first team for the second time this season.

Sheffield Wednesday, already consigned to League One for next season, made one change from the team which drew 1-1 at home to Watford on Tuesday with former Blues loanee Dominic Iorfa coming into the defence.

Nathaniel Chalobah, brother of one-time Town loanee Trevoh, was back on the bench after injury.

The Blues threatened for the first time in the eighth minute, Neil playing in Hirst on the left of the area, but the striker’s shot was blocked and diverted out for a corner by Gabriel Otegbayo.

Three minutes later, following a long spell of Town possession, Clarke shot low through to Wednesday keeper Pierce Charles.

On 13, Mehmeti twisted and turned to work himself space on the edge of the area before hitting a well-struck low effort which Charles saved but couldn’t hold onto. The Blues kept the ball in the final third and Matusiwa hit a shot which was blocked but almost fell loose in the area.

As the game reached the quarter-hour mark with the Blues still in total control, Mehmeti was found in space on the edge of the area but the Albanian’s strike was blocked by Otegbayo.

The Owls saw more of the ball for a spell but without threatening, Jarvis Thornton crossing behind Christian Walton’s goal in the 25th minute.

The game became very flat before the Blues’ fans tried to inject some noise into a pre-season-like atmosphere, then Matusiwa burst forward with the ball through a number of players on halfway to inject some excitement.

In the 34th minute, Town might have gone in front, Neil playing a delightful ball over the top for Mehmeti, who had managed to get behind the Owls backline and stay onside but the former Bristol City man was unable to take it down over his shoulder. A minute later, Walle Egeli shot against home skipper Liam Palmer.

Two minutes later, Sean Fusire struck the Owls’ first effort of the game, but Walton was able to claim without too much trouble.

The Blues might have opened the scoring in the 39th minute, Neil hitting a shot from the 18-yard line which Charles parried out to his left. Walle Egeli was first to it but from a tight angle missed the target when he will feel he should have done better, Town eventually winning a fortuitous corner on the left.

From the flag-kick, Darnell Furlong wasn’t far away from his first Town goal, the right-back rising high to send a header towards the top corner, however, Svante Ingelsson nodded off the line.

Just before the fourth official indicated an additional minute, Clarke found himself in space well into the area but was unable to get the ball properly under control as he held off his man and it ran harmlessly through to Charles.

A third lacklustre first half in a row from Town, who had dominated against the already relegated Owls, but while rarely looking likely to break the deadlock, Furlong having gone closest with his header with Neil and Clarke having forced Charles to make saves but none above the routine, while Walle Egeli ought to have made more of his rebound opportunity. At the other end, Wednesday had showed little danger.

As was the case against Leicester and Stoke, the Blues will have to significantly up their performance in the second half.

Sheffield Wednesday: Charles, Fusire, Palmer (c), Iorfa, Otegbayo, Adaramola, Heskey, Thornton, Ingelsson, Lowe, Yates. Subs: Stretch, McGhee, Emery, Johnson, Chalobah, Nakamba, Ndala, Grainger, Moses.

Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Johnson, Matusiwa, Neil, Walle Egeli, Mehmeti, J Clarke, Hirst. Subs: Palmer, Baggott, Cajuste, Taylor, Burns, McAteer, Philogene, Akpom, Azon. Referee: Tom Reeves (Birmingham).

Photo: Matchday Images