Shrewsbury ace could be fit for Sunderland clash as Sheffield Wednesday star compares expectations at Hillsborough with Rangers

One of Sunderland’s next opponents are set to be handed a fitness boost.
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Here is all the latest gossip from the Stadium of Light and beyond:

Vela could be fit for Sunderland clash

Shrewsbury Town’s Josh Vela made his comeback from a knee-injury during their Papa John’s Trophy defeat to Wigan Athletic on Wednesday.

Shrewsbury Town's Josh Vela could feature against Sunderland next week (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Shrewsbury Town's Josh Vela could feature against Sunderland next week (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Shrewsbury Town's Josh Vela could feature against Sunderland next week (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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The injury had kept Vela out of action for nine games and although he completed ninety minutes against Wigan, boss Steve Cotterill has stressed that Vela’s comeback needs to be managed.

Shrewsbury play Sunderland on Tuesday November 23 and assuming he is able to come through the game against Cheltenham Town on Saturday, Vela will likely make his return to the New Meadow against the Black Cats.

Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday comparisons

Sheffield Wednesday striker Florian Kamberi believes that the Owls and his former side Rangers share similar expectation levels and that he is able to cope with the pressure of being at a ‘massive club:

“I was at Rangers so I know how it is to be in a massive club with pressure and expectation.” Kamberi told Yorkshire Live.

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“League One is not an easy league, it’s a very aggressive league, but I knew what was coming.

“When you’re at a big club it’s about just winning games.”

Wednesday sit just one place and two points behind Sunderland in League One, albeit having played two games more than Lee Johnson’s side.

Ainsworth on Portsmouth

Whilst Sunderland had a week-off action because of international call-ups, some of their promotion rivals were in action, and two of them met at Adams Park.

A 1-0 win for the visitors meant Portsmouth left with all three-points on Saturday.

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Even though it is only November, games like this may help to define a season and post-match, it was clear that the Portsmouth players and staff recognised the importance of the victory – celebrations that Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth compared to a promotion party:

"For a club like Portsmouth to come here and do that to us just shows how much respect we’ve got.” Ainsworth said.

"They’ve celebrated in their dressing room like they’ve been promoted, never mind winning 1-0 today, and that’s all respect to Wycombe Wanderers, so fair play to them.

"They’ve come here and did a job, even though I thought we were better in spells."

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