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Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs. Nottingham Forest

Sports Mole casts its eye forward to Saturday afternoon's Championship match at Hillsborough as in-form Sheffield Wednesday host Nottingham Forest.

Sheffield Wednesday are back in Championship action on Saturday after they dumped Arsenal out of the Capital One Cup in midweek.

Nottingham Forest are the visitors and they will aiming to do something the Gunners could not - win, or at least score, at Hillsborough.


Wednesday

Carlos Carvalhal the manager of Sheffield Wednesday looks on during the Capital One Cup fourth round match between Sheffield Wednesday and Arsenal at Hillsborough Stadium on October 27, 2015 in Sheffield, England.© Getty Images

What a night it was for Carlos Carvalhal's men on Tuesday as they put three unanswered goals past Arsenal to reach the last eight of the League Cup for the first time in 14 years.

Ross Wallace, Lucas Joao and Sam Hutchinson were on the scoresheet in front of 35,000 and the Owls will face Premier League opposition again in the quarters, this time away from home with a trip to Stoke City.

Wednesday are unbeaten in nine games in all competitions, winning six, and for Joao it was his second goal in two games after he netted the first in Wednesday's last league match, a 2-1 win over neighbours Rotherham United.

The Portuguese striker tapped in against the Millers but he showcased his heading ability against the Gunners, and in the league, no Championship side has scored more headed goals this term than the Wednesday's five.

Joao was one of several foreign players brought in by Carvalhal and only 28% of the players to appear for the Owls this season have been English - a league-low share.

The League Cup tie with Arsenal was the first of three straight home games for Wednesday and they will start this one against Forest as favourites. If they make it another win tomorrow it will put them in good stead for Tuesday's visit of league leaders Brighton & Hove Albion, a game which offers the Owls the chance to prove if they are true promotion candidates.

Recent Championship form: WWWDDW
Recent form (all competitions): WWDDWW


Forest

Nottingham Forest manager Dougie Freedman during the Sky Bet Championship match against Brighton & Hove Albion on February 7, 2015© Getty Images

"Encouraging performances in the draws against Burnley and Ipswich have led the manager and the players to believe that better times are ahead," claims the Forest website going into this match.

Both matches were at home, though, and Forest fans will have experienced contrasting emotions. Ten days ago Burnley scored in the 90th minute to deny the hosts all three points, while on Saturday debutant Liam Trotter, after joining on loan from Bolton Wanderers, slammed home in the fifth minute of added time to rescue a point.

Trotter's late leveller prevented a third defeat in four matches for Dougie Freedman's side, who have not won in six games to lie 17th in the table, four points above the drop zone.

On the road, Forest have lost just once in their last five league games, but that was on their last trip away when they went down to lowly Bristol City, giving the Robins their first home win of the season.

Creating shooting opportunities has not been a problem under Freedman this season - Forest have attempted the most shots in the Championship with 161 - but they have scored just 11 goals; only Bolton Wanderers and Preston North End (10) have managed fewer.

Recent form: LDLLDD


Team News

Lucas Joao of Sheffield Wednesday celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Capital One Cup fourth round match between Sheffield Wednesday and Arsenal at Hillsborough Stadium on October 27, 2015 in Sheffield, England.© Getty Images

Carvalhal made two changes for the Arsenal tie and he is likely to revert back to the side that started their last league match at Rotherham.

Fernando Forestieri, who has been in impressive form of late, was cup-tied and could take Jeremy Helan's place on the left, while in goal Keiren Westwood is fit again after missing the Gunners' visit.

Gary Hooper is available for the first time after his loan switch from Norwich City and is most likely to come off the bench if he is to make his Owls debut, with in-form Joao preferred to start.

Trotter should keep his place in the Forest lineup after his debut leveller against Ipswich, especially with Henri Lansbury still suspended.

Matt Mills was also suspended for the visit of Ipswich, but he is back available and could return to the defence.

Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Westwood; Hunt, Loovens, Lees, Pudil; Lee, Hutchinson; Wallace, Forestieri, Bannan; Joao

Forest possible starting lineup:
De Vries; Lichaj, Mills, Hobbs, Pinillos; Trotter, Vaughan; Ward, Williams, Mendes; Oliveira


Head To Head

Wednesday have won just one of their last nine against Forest, losing six. However, that one win was in their last meeting in January when two goals in five minutes from Kieran Lee and Chris Maguire gave them victory at the City Ground.

Forest have won their last three games at Hillsborough, also keeping a clean sheet in each match.


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Wednesday 2-1 Forest

It is hard to argue for anything but a Wednesday win here. Perhaps they will be a bit jaded after their fantastic effort against Arsenal, but the crowd will be expectant and the Owls should deliver another win.



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Written by
Pascal Lemesre
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