Stoke City 2, Sheffield Wednesday 0: Mark Hughes celebrates straightforward win

Shay Given (knee) and Marc Muniesa (hamstring) are also unavailable.

Stoke boss Mark Hughes: “We won’t underestimate Sheffield Wednesday in any way, shape or form”.

Loan striker Gary Hooper is eligible, having not played in this season’s competition for parent club Norwich City, but Fernando Forestieri can not play, having played for Watford already in round two.

“I made the changes tonight not to disrespect the opposition but to give one or two of the lads who have done well for us an opportunity”, the Welshman told the club’s website.

“You can’t argue about that”.

Sheffield Wednesday head coach Carvalhal: “It will be cold and there will be rain probably”. Even the two exceptions were occasions where they kept clean sheets yet scored three, and such a prolific display isn’t anticipated at the Etihad Stadium.

“He’s a player of talent and so we shouldn’t be surprised he scores a goal like that”.

“It happened at Blackburn on Saturday and it will happen again”.

“The players we brought in are all top players and they have proven themselves domestically and internationally too”.

This is Sheffield Wednesday’s best performance in the League Cup since making it to the semi-finals in 2001-02, losing to eventual winners Blackburn Rovers.

Stoke go into tomorrow night’s draw alongside Manchester City, Everton and either Southampton or Liverpool following this evening’s 2-0 win at the Britannia.

In the Cup, City have defeated League Two Luton and holders Chelsea on penalties, while also seeing off Championship side Fulham 1-0 at Craven Cottage in the last-32.

Sheffield Wednesday have been breached once across six hours of Capital One Cup action this term, and that was 45 minutes into the process, with the sole away venture to a Premier League team – Newcastle – settling on a single goal.