Sheffield Wednesday manager Garry Monk has suggested that Alex Hunt will have a key role to play for the Owls during the rest of the season and beyond, following the Owls’ 1-0 defeat at home to Manchester City in the FA Cup.

Hunt started the game on the bench, but he was brought onto the field in place of Kieran Lee for the final half an hour against Manchester City, and the 19-year-old delivered a very encouraging performance in what was his first appearance of the season for Monk’s side.

The midfielder slotted into the midfield alongside Barry Bannan and Joey Pelupessy and managed to help add some extra quality, as the Owls chased a potential equaliser against the Premier League champions – and Hunt could have managed to make the difference had his ball across midfield just evaded Steven Fletcher’s stretch for the ball.

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Speaking to the media post-match, Monk suggested that Hunt’s performance against Manchester City from the bench demonstrated his potential to have a real impact on the side, and hinted that the 19-year-old could potentially have a key role to play during the rest of the season and beyond.

He said: "I thought Alex Hunt was very good. He helped us, he has a big future and he's the type of lad who can go a long way. We think very highly of him. Nights like tonight will only help him."

The verdict

These are interesting comments from Monk, who certainly seems to have been suitably impressed by Hunt’s performance against Manchester City, with the 19-year-old coming on and not looking out of place against the quality of their opponents midfield, which shows he has the potential to have an impact on the first team.

Considering that Sheffield Wednesday have been in poor form in the Championship since the turn of the year it is perhaps a little surprising that Monk has not afforded more chances to Hunt before their clash against Manchester City – and the midfielder certainly showed the sort of confidence not on display from a number of other players over the last few weeks.

The likes of Bannan, Pelupessy and Lee have been struggling for form and consistency throughout the campaign, which should mean that Monk is able to offer the chance for Hunt to get more first team minutes during the rest of the campaign – and depending on his performances he could well be a key player next term for Monk’s side.

It will be crucial that the 19-year-old manages to maintain the sort of performance levels he showed against Manchester City, and if he can do that then he could be the potential long-term replacement for Bannan at the heart of the Owls’ midfield during the next few seasons.