Sheffield Wednesday could be fined up to £5,000 after Dave Challinor changed his entire starting XI for the 4-0 EFL Trophy defeat to Accrington Stanley.

The Owls were already through to the knockout rounds, but their line-up against Plymouth Argyle on Saturday could help determine whether they met the competition’s selection rules, according to the Yorkshire Post.

Why Saturday’s team selection matters

EFL clubs must name at least four qualifying outfield players in their Trophy starting XI. There are several ways to qualify, including starting the preceding or following first-team fixture, or ranking among the club’s ten players with the most first-team starts that season under the EFL Trophy selection rules. Players with at least 40 senior starts can also qualify, as can players on standard loans from Premier League clubs or EFL clubs with Category One academies.

Challinor made 11 changes from the side beaten by Oldham Athletic after extra time in the FA Cup. That left Wednesday without any carry-over starters from the previous game, but any outfield player who started against Accrington and keeps his place for Plymouth would count towards the required four.

Challinor explains why Plymouth took priority

Challinor said he had six or seven players out and another four away on international duty. He also revealed that Max Lowe had suffered a recurrence of an earlier injury and was likely to miss four to six weeks, leaving the Owls short of another senior option ahead of his first home league game in charge.

“We’re coming into a run of fixtures between now and the new year of 11 games so we’re going to need all of our players.”

With qualification secured, Challinor used the Accrington game to get a look at his younger players and spare some of his senior squad another outing. Denny Oliver made his first start, while Louis Poland and substitute James Kay made their debuts.

Accrington take top spot at Hillsborough

Wins over Salford City and Sunderland Under-21s had already taken Wednesday through, and a point would have been enough to win Group A and secure a home tie in the last 32. Josh Smith turned in the opener from close range following a corner, and Charlie Brown struck from the edge of the area three minutes later to send Accrington two goals up at half-time.

Oliver had a long-range effort tipped over as the Owls looked for a way back, but Brown set up both late goals. Charlie Warren made it three with four minutes left, and Charlie Caton added the fourth in stoppage time, leaving Wednesday with an away tie in the last 32.

Challinor was right to prioritise Plymouth. A home draw in the Trophy would have been handy, but with a thin squad and 11 games to get through before the new year, keeping his senior players fit for League One was worth the risk.