A pivotal contest in the fight at the bottom end of the Championship table will take place at Hillsborough on Saturday, as Sheffield Wednesday welcome Stoke City.
With just four games of the final run-in remaining, the hosts are now only adrift of safety on goal difference, while trailing their visitors by just three points in the fight to avoid the drop.
Match preview
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Sheffield Wednesday head into their second outing at Hillsborough this week on Saturday with the aim of further strengthening their Championship survival bid and finally leaping out of the relegation zone in the run-in.
After bouncing back from a dismal start to the season and moving into a competitive position with a much-improved run between early December and early March under the tutelage of Danny Rohl, the Owls would lose ground once again last month, enduring a four-match winless run around the recent international break which only produced a single point.
Then sitting two points adrift of safety with six games left to play, the South Yorkshire outfit set out to end their tough patch and have given their survival hopes a huge boost in the two attempts since, firstly returning to winning ways away at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday as Djeidi Gassama and Anthony Musaba netted second-half goals at Loftus Road.
Rohl's men most recently welcomed Norwich City to Hillsborough on Tuesday, and after falling 2-0 behind inside the opening 20 minutes, they staged an impressive second-half comeback to share the spoils with the sixth-placed side, as Michael Ihiekwe pulled one back in the 78th minute before Michael Smith headed in a leveller five minutes from time.
Having now regained confidence with those recent results and moved up to 22nd spot in the Championship, only trailing 21st-placed Huddersfield Town on goal difference, Sheffield Wednesday will look to make their recent improvement count on Saturday and put another win on the board to move out of the drop zone ahead of the final three games.
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Their visitors, meanwhile, travel in need of a result in their own survival bid, albeit with a slender lead over the bottom three to defend in the run-in.
In what has certainly been a difficult season across spells under the management of Alex Neil and current boss Steven Schumacher, Stoke City found themselves in a particularly concerning position at the bottom end of the division as a seven-match span between late January and late February left them in the bottom three on just 35 points from 34 matches.
The Potters were then able to reverse their fortunes and rebuild a vital cushion in the following weeks, going on to triumph in three of their next five outings alongside defeats in tough meetings with Leeds United and Norwich City, before coming from behind to take points from draws at home to fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town and fifth-placed West Bromwich Albion.
Aiming to solidify their position above the bottom three, Schumacher's side most recently visited Swansea City on Wednesday, but they were unable to extend an unbeaten streak any further, leaving empty-handed after succumbing to a 3-0 beating as Liam Cullen put the hosts ahead early on before Matt Grimes and Josh Key added second-half goals.
While Stoke City have done their survival hopes a great favour in recent weeks, they do now only lead Saturday's hosts in the drop zone by three points, and with four games left to play and a six-pointer coming up at the weekend, they will know their work is far from done and will bid to move all but out of sight with a crucial return to winning ways at Hillsborough.
Team News
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Sheffield Wednesday's cause has been helped in recent weeks by several players returning from injury layoffs, including Callum Paterson and Josh Windass, but they have been dealt fresh concerns with winger Ian Poveda and centre-back Di'Shon Bernard sidelined and striker Ike Ugbo having also missed their meeting with Norwich on Tuesday.
If he is unable to return in time to feature at the weekend, Michael Smith will continue to lead the line for the Owls, after drawing them level with his fourth Championship goal of the season in that match, while Windass should again join wingers Djeidi Gassama and Anthony Musaba in a supporting trio with Poveda bound to miss out, despite fresh competition from Paterson.
Liam Palmer has been preferred over Will Vaulks at the base of the midfield in recent weeks and will hope to keep his place alongside captain Barry Bannan, while Bambo Diaby and Michael Ihiekwe will partner up at the heart of the back four in Bernard's continued absence.
Stoke City continue to contend with several injury concerns ahead of the weekend's trip to Hillsborough, with Lynden Gooch, Ben Pearson and Ryan Mmaee bound to miss out again.
Steven Schumacher may still make several changes to his starting XI after their midweek 3-0 loss to Swansea, though, with Ben Wilmot pushing to come back into the defence while Lewis Baker, Jordan Thompson and Luke Cundle will battle for places in the midfield after settling for substitute appearances in South Wales.
There is competition in attack, too, with Joon-Ho Bae set to continue in a central role, while Andre Vidigal, Niall Ennis and Million Manhoef will all fight to keep their places with Sead Haksabanovic and Tyrese Campbell vying to get the nod.
Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Beadle; Iorfa, Ihiekwe, Diaby, Famewo; Palmer, Bannan; Musaba, Windass, Gassama; Smith
Stoke City possible starting lineup:
Iversen; Hoever, McNally, Rose, Wilmot; Baker, Laurent; Manhoef, Bae, Leris; Vidigal
We say: Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Stoke City
With four games left to guarantee their second-tier status for next season, both teams will be desperate for three points on Saturday, setting up a tight and intriguing encounter.
Both boasting similar levels of quality, and unable to afford what would be a damaging defeat, we see a low-scoring draw as the most likely outcome at Hillsborough.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Sam Varley
