Sheffield Wednesday's promotion bid was handed a huge boost by the return striker Sam Winnall, who made his return to action for the Sheffield Wednesday Under 23's side.

Winnall has been sidelined since February 2018 with knee ligament damage which he suffered whilst on loan at fellow Championship side Derby County.

Sam Hutchinson was also named in the squad to face Crewe as he continues his return from a groin injury suffered in August when the Owls were defeated by Premier League new boys Wolves.

Winnall hasn't endured the start he would have liked to at Sheffield Wednesday and having only scored four goals in 18 appearances he was sent on loan to Derby.

But his spell at the Rams was cut short, having scored once in five games, he suffered the injury that has kept him out for a number of months.

Winnall will be hoping he can recapture the form that saw him earn his move to Sheffield Wednesday in 2017. The 27-year-old had been in excellent form for Barnsley, where he scored 48 times in 115 appearances in a tthree-year spell with the club.

The striker will be hoping to join up with the first-team squad in the near future and help fire them to promotion, with Jos Luhukay's side currently in a play-off position.

Verdict: 

Winnall could be crucial for Jos Luhukay's side this season but may struggle for first-team opportunities at first, with the good form shown by Lucas Joao and Fernando Forestieri likely to keep the former Barnsley man out of the starting XI for the next few games.

But when Winnall is fully fit, I believe he can replicate the sort of form that saw him move to Hillsborough in 2017.