Striker selection is welcome Owls headache for boss Gray
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY boss Stuart Gray has a striker headache for Saturday’s Championship visit of Derby County.
New £800,00 signing Stevie May was suspended for Tuesday night’s 3-0 win over Notts County, as strikers Gary Madine and Atdhe Nuhiu opened their acounts for the season.
Now Gray must decide whether to retain faith in Madine and Nuhiu or hand May his debut.
“It wasn’t until late last night that we found out Stevie May was suspended. He was going to start,” said Gray, after Tuesday’s game. “He’d have looked there tonight and thought there was a great opportunity for him.
“You’ve got to have that competition and both strikers have scored, and Jacques Maghoma has, so it will be a difficult decision to make on Saturday against Derby.”
Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka wants to sign two players on loan from Chelsea.
Boro are chasing striker Patrick Bamford and midfielder George Saville.
Bamford, 20, impressed on loan at Derby and MK Dons last season, while Saville, 21, helped Brentford win promotion from League One.
Karanka has strong links with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho as the pair worked together closely at Real Madrid.
Karanka said: “We are not strong enough at the moment. I want players who can’t sleep because they are worried that someone else will take their place.
“I hope we will sign the two from Chelsea.
“The club are working on that, but we have got seven games in 22 days so I’m concentrating on the games.”
Luke Shaw is set for a spell on the sidelines after Manchester United confirmed the left-back would miss the start of the Barclays Premier League season with a hamstring injury.
Shaw, who joined the club from Southampton in June for £27m, faces a four-week lay-off.