After the inevitable sacking of Phil Parkinson, Andrew Taylor takes charge against Burton as the board search for a new manager. Will Taylor take more risks in his selection than Parky did, and how will the lads react to the news?
GK: Remi Matthews. To be fair to the ex-Bolton ‘keeper, he has not put a foot wrong as Burge recovers from his injury so it would be somewhat unfair for him to lose his place so suddenly. He seems more reliable in recent weeks than Lee Burge has done all season in goal.
RWB: Luke O’Nien. O’Nien of course still has weaknesses in his game but offers a lot of energy and enthusiasm out wide. With Conor McLaughlin looking like a capable centre-half, Luke is the only real option to start this match with Diamond on the bench.
CB: Conor McLaughlin. The caretaker manager may well stick with the wingback system that the players are already comfortable with. This season McLaughlin has looked more than competent in this position, managing to get forward but also showing good defensive awareness at times.
CB: Bailey Wright. Wright has made two major errors in two games that have essentially gifted the opposition a goal. Other than these lapses of judgement though, he’s looked physical and commanding at the back, so should keep his place at the heart of defence.
CB: Dion Sanderson. With Parkinson gone, Sanderson can be hopeful of finding more game time during this loan spell. Tom Flanagan has been in poor form recently, and Taylor may wish to deploy a youngster who already has some Championship experience and clearly has a lot of potential.
LWB: Denver Hume. With Callum McFadzean still seemingly not fully fit, Hume will want to show more quality on the ball than he has done this season. He gets into great positions where his final ball often lets him down, so hopefully tomorrow he can show more composure to create chances.
CM: Grant Leadbitter. In a game where Burton will likely sit back and give us possession, Leadbitter has the range of passing to unlock defences from deep. He’s shown time and time again that he can easily dictate play at this level as well as keeping our defence shielded in midfield.
CM: Josh Scowen. With Leadbitter playing in a reserved role, it’s important to have a willing presser next to him and who’s a better presser than Scowen? His intensity never drops off, although he can be quite wasteful in possession.
RW: Elliot Embleton. The youngster didn’t even come on as a sub against Fleetwood, but on Tuesday night Andrew Taylor should show confidence in Embleton by giving him a start. With Lynden Gooch injured, this is the perfect time for an academy graduate to come into the side and show what he’s worth.
LW: Chris Maguire. Without the influence of Phil Parkinson’s negative tactics, the team as a whole might play the ball on the ground a bit more. This will suit Maguire, who has not looked good this season. In a system where we may play better football, “The King” will be instrumental in breaking down Burton’s defence with his ability to create something out of nothing.
ST: Charlie Wyke. With Phil Parkinson out of the picture, this could be the beginning of a Will Grigg revival, and also the end of Danny Graham’s second spell on Wearside. For now though, Charlie Wyke looks like our most clinical striker. The big man showed great willingness to chase down lost causes, best showcased by his goal on Friday night.
