Sheffield Wednesday welcomes Birmingham City this Friday evening, aiming for a victory to stay in the fight to escape the Championship relegation zone.
While Sheffield Wednesday is eight points from safety, Birmingham sits just four points above the relegation area after a mixed start under Tony Mowbray.
Match preview
Danny Rohl’s team, struggling in the league, wouldn’t have prioritized a long FA Cup run. However, they missed a chance to progress, losing 4-1 to Coventry City on Tuesday night.
Three goals early in the second half sealed their fate, marking another game where they’ve let in four goals. Their last win came on January 1, leaving them 10 points from 16th place, highlighting the urgent need for improvement.
Birmingham, under Mowbray, also seeks a turnaround, having gained four points from recent matches. They’re far from playoff contention and could drop closer to relegation depending on this weekend’s outcomes.
However, with a decent record in recent away games, Birmingham eyes widening the gap from the relegation zone.
Sheffield Wednesday Championship form: W W L L D L
Sheffield Wednesday form (all competitions): L L D D L L
Birmingham City Championship form: L D L D W L
Birmingham City form (all competitions): D D W W L L
Team News
After recent defeats, Sheffield Wednesday’s Rohl might refresh his lineup. Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri and Ian Poveda could start, with Kristian Pedersen and Jeff Hendrick also potential inclusions.
Birmingham’s Mowbray may limit changes despite a close loss to West Brom. Jordan James and Alex Pritchard vie for a midfield spot, with Juninho Bacuna possibly starting over Lee Buchanan.
Possible Starting Lineups:
Sheffield Wednesday: (4-2-3-1)
Beadle;
Valentin, Ihiekwe, Bernard, Pedersen;
Palmer, Bannan;
Poveda, Ugbo, Gassama;
Cadamarteri
Birmingham City: (4-2-3-1)
Etheridge;
Laird, Bielik, Long, Bacuna;
Dozzell, Sunjic;
Miyoshi, Pritchard, Dembele;
Stansfield
Prediction: Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Birmingham City
Both teams, eager to avoid defeat, might end up sharing points in a match that could see limited goals at Hillsborough.