Separated by just one point in pursuit of top-six spots in the Championship table, Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry City will do battle in an important contest on Saturday.
Having both picked up midweek victories, the hosts trail the playoff spots by just two points in eighth place, while their visitors have climbed to 10th spot thanks to an upturn in form.
Match preview
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Sheffield Wednesday return to Hillsborough on Saturday aiming to ramp up their Championship playoff pursuit with a second straight victory, having moved back within touching distance of the top six in midweek.
The South Yorkshire outfit have enjoyed a much-improved campaign in their second consecutive Championship season thus far, currently sitting eighth having earned 45 points from their opening 32 outings, just eight points fewer than they managed in the entirety of the 2023-24 term.
That has largely been down to an impressive attacking record, with only five sides topping their tally of 45 goals at this stage, although their success has largely come on the road with only five sides managing fewer than the 22 points that Danny Rohl's men have earned in 16 home games.
Their last outing at Hillsborough ended in a 1-1 draw with strugglers Luton Town, and after suffering a 2-1 defeat to fellow playoff-chasers West Bromwich Albion last weekend, despite levelling at a goal apiece through Callum Paterson in injury time, the Owls were able to bounce back to winning ways on Wednesday, as Michael Smith netted the only goal around the hour mark in a trip to Swansea City.
Having now climbed back to eighth spot with that victory and within two points of the top six, Sheffield Wednesday will aim to make it back-to-back league wins for the first time since before Christmas on Saturday with a chance to move into the playoff spots if other results go their way.
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They face a tough test, though, as the visitors arrive in South Yorkshire with the top six also in their sights, having enjoyed a quick climb up the Championship table recently.
Frank Lampard took the Coventry City reins in late November following the departure of long-serving boss Mark Robins, with the Midlands outfit sat on just 17 points from 17 league outings, and he has overseen an impressive improvement thus far, as the Sky Blues have picked up 27 points from their first 15 league games under the new manager.
Following a four-match winless streak around the turn of the year, they now head into the weekend's trip having won five of their last six Championship games and beaten Saturday's hosts in the FA Cup third round in the same time, prevailing in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw at home turf.
After seeing a winning run come to an end in a 2-0 Championship defeat to Leeds United and exiting the FA Cup at the hands of Ipswich Town, the Sky Blues returned to Championship action on Tuesday and bounced back to winning ways at home to Queens Park Rangers, as Bobby Thomas broke the deadlock and snatched all three points in the 94th minute.
Having now climbed to 10th spot in their bid to return to the top six this season and moved within three points of the playoff spots, Coventry City will head to Hillsborough with confidence and aim to further strengthen their bid with a third straight Championship away win.
Team News
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Sheffield Wednesday will remain without defenders Akin Famewo and Dominic Iorfa on Saturday, while key men Barry Bannan and Di'Shon Bernard have joined them in the treatment room recently, with the latter set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after sustaining an injury in last weekend's defeat to West Brom.
In the absence of Bernard, Iorfa and Famewo, Max Lowe will continue to join Michael Ihiekwe at the heart of a back four after their clean sheet in Wednesday's win over Swansea City.
Stuart Armstrong will hope to return to the midfield after Svante Ingelsson was preferred alongside Shea Charles in midweek, while Michael Smith should come back in and lead the line from the start with support from Josh Windass and Djeidi Gassama, having come off the bench to score his eighth Championship goal of the season last time out.
Frank Lampard should only make minimal changes to his Coventry City starting XI from Tuesday's win over QPR, with Ben Sheaf and Haji Wright remaining confined to the treatment room.
Ephron Mason-Clark returned from an injury setback to feature off the bench in midweek, and he and Brandon Thomas-Asante will push for starts after Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Jack Rudoni supported Ellis Simms, while midfielder Josh Eccles may again have to settle for a substitute appearance in midfield after Matt Grimes earned a first start for the club alongside Victor Torp on Tuesday.
Bobby Thomas, Luis Binks and Liam Kitching should again line up in a back three with Milan van Ewijk and Jay Dasilva continuing in wing-back roles despite competition from Joel Latibeaudiere and Jake Bidwell.
Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Beadle; Valery, Ihiekwe, Lowe, Johnson; Charles, Ingelsson; Windass, Armstrong, Gassama; Smith
Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Dovin; Thomas, Binks, Kitching; Van Ewijk, Torp, Grimes, Dasilva; Mason-Clark, Simms, Rudoni
We say: Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Coventry City
We anticipate a tight contest on Saturday with both sides heading into the game with confidence and the need for an important win in their playoff pursuit.
The visitors head to Hillsborough as one of the division's form sides, but Sheffield Wednesday have the quality to at least take a share of the points in South Yorkshire.
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Sam Varley
