Sheffield Wednesday head to West London on Saturday afternoon looking to make it three wins on the spin when they take on Brentford.

The Owls picked up an impressive victory in the League Cup in midweek, which could now provide them with the confidence to make a surge for the top six.

Brentford

© Getty Images

After picking up a first home victory of the campaign last time out, and thus putting an overall four-game winless run behind them, Brentford will now be hoping to push on.

It has been a slow start to the campaign for last season's playoff semi-finalists, having taken just eight points from the opening 21 on offer this term.

For a side who were willing to sacrifice an awful lot over the summer, putting statistics at the forefront of things with a new coach at the helm, that is simply not good enough.

It looked as though it was going to be a similar story when falling behind inside 30 seconds against Preston North End last weekend, only for Lasse Vibe and Marco Djuricin to score the goals which will perhaps spearhead a push up the table.

Boss Marinus Dijkhuizen admitted to feeling 'relieved' after seeing his side break their home duck, and they could now make it two on the spin when Wednesday visit on Saturday.

While three-point hauls have been a rarity at Griffin Park, scoring goals certainly has not been, with the Bees now netting in 12 consecutive home games on their way to scoring 27 goals.

It is the inability to keep the ball out up the other end which is proving costly, though, after seeing their net breached 13 times already this season - the third worst tally in the division.

Brentford are also one of three sides yet to have recorded a clean sheet, so Dijkhuizen needs to find the right balance if he is to steer his side above their opponents and into the top half.

Recent form in Championship: WLLDLW

Sheffield Wednesday

© Getty Images

Much like Brentford, it has been an indifferent start to the campaign for Wednesday under new head coach Carlos Carvalhal.

Two wins on the bounce will certainly have improved the mood around Hillsborough, however, particularly when considering the latter of those victories came away at Newcastle United.

That triumph, coming in the League Cup on Wednesday night, will no doubt have galvanised each member of the Owls' squad - even if a weakened side was named for the trip to the North-East.

Carvalhal has made no secret that achieving success in the second tier this season is where his big ambitions remain, though a mammoth home tie with Arsenal in the next round may see supporters' attention drift elsewhere in the coming weeks.

Wednesday's overall league record of won two, drawn three and lost three gives the impression that mid-table is very much where they are destined to end up this term.

Buoyed by that surprise win, against a Newcastle side admittedly in disarray, Wednesday could be provided with the onus that they need to get their aim of a playoff challenge firmly back on track this coming weekend.

If that is to be the case their away form simply has to improve when they visit West London, as only two sides - Rotherham United and Bolton Wanderers - have collected fewer points on the road this term.

A goalless draw at Bolton last time out perhaps best sums up their currently problems, with a lack of shots - 55, the division's fewest - another aspect that needs to be improved upon if a top-half finish is to be on the cards.

Recent form in Championship: DDLLDW
Recent form (all competitions): WLLDWW

Team News

© Getty Images

Carvalhal made 10 changes to his starting lineup for the League Cup tie in midweek, with one of those incoming players - Lewis McGugan - grabbing the winning goal.

It could leave the Portuguese with a big decision to make at Griffin Park on whether to stick or twist, though in truth he is likely to revert back to something close to last weekend's side.

James Tarkowski could be back in the matchday squad for the hosts, meanwhile, yet Akaki Gogia, Philipp Hofmann, Lewis Macleod, Sam Saunders, Josh McEachran and Jota - among others, incredibly - still remain on the sidelines.

Up top, Djuricin scored his second goal in Brentford colours at Preston, so he will be in a confident mood should he be given the nod once more.

Brentford possible starting lineup:
Button; Colin, Dean, Tarkowski, Bidwell; McCormack, Kerschbaumer, Diagouraga, Judge, Vibe; Djuricin

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Wildsmith; Hunt, Loovens, Lees, Pudil; Lee, Hutchinson, Wallace, Forestieri, Matias; Nuhiu

Head To Head

In the last four league meetings between these two sides, just four goals have been scored.

That is largely down to the Owls' strong defensive record in this fixture, with three clean sheets in the last four encounters.

Kieran Lee's goal proved the difference in the last coming together, as Wednesday registered a 1-0 win at Hillsborough.

We say: Brentford 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday may have recorded two wins on the bounce, but their away form has still been patchy to say the least. Brentford tend to find the net when playing on home soil, meanwhile, which will continue this weekend when they take all three points in the mid-table tussle.

Previews by email