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Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs. Swansea City - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Swansea City turn focus back to their Championship promotion push on Saturday afternoon when they take on Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

The Swans were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City in the FA Cup last 16 on Wednesday, but they have been in superb form in the league and enter this game third in the table.

Wednesday have won three of their last four, meanwhile, and are outside the relegation zone on goal difference.


Match preview

Swansea City's Andre Ayew celebrates scoring against Norwich City in the Championship on February 5, 2021© Reuters

Only one team, fellow automatic promotion contenders Brentford, have been in better form over the past month among second-tier sides than Swansea.

Steve Cooper's charges are unbeaten in their last eight league games, winning six of those in a run that has lifted them right into the mix for a top-two finish.

Indeed, heading into the weekend's fixtures, they are two points behind second-placed Norwich City - at home to Stoke City on Saturday - with a game in hand to play.

Automatic promotion is therefore in the Swans' hands and they have a favourable run of games to come, with each of their next four outings being against teams in the bottom eight.

However, league position may not count for a great deal this weekend if past meetings between these sides is anything to go by.

Swansea have won just one of their 17 away matches against Wednesday in all competitions, drawing eight and losing eight, with their only victory coming in December 2009.

Callum Paterson celebrates scoring for Sheffield Wednesday against Derby County on January 1, 2021© Reuters

The Owls' position does not tell the whole story in another way, either, having been hit by a 12-point deduction at the start of the season that was later halved.

Interim Wednesday boss Neil Thompson has more than steadied the ship since replacing Tony Pulis, the Yorkshire side winning six of their last nine league games - as many as in their previous 38.

The most recent of those wins came against Wycombe Wanderers in midweek, lifting Thompson's side out of the bottom three on goal difference, though Derby County in 22nd have a game in hand to play.

Points are imperative for both teams this weekend for different reasons, then, with Swansea looking up at the Premier League and Wednesday desperate to avoid dropping into the third tier.

Sheffield Wednesday Championship form: WLWWLW
Sheffield Wednesday form (all competitions): LLWWLW

Swansea City Championship form: DWWDWW
Swansea City form (all competitions): WWDWWL


Team News

Andre Ayew celebrates scoring for Swansea City against Queens Park Rangers on December 26, 2020© Reuters

Wednesday have a number of injury concerns, with Dominic Iorfa, Massimo Luongo, Moses Odubajo, Joost van Aken and Cameron Dawson all carrying injuries.

Liam Shaw was recalled to the side against Wycombe after recovering from an injury of his own and will be hopeful of retaining his place in the starting XI.

Up top, Jordan Rhodes has hit a bit of form with two goals in his last three league games, which is one more than he scored in his previous 24 such appearances.

As for Swansea, Steven Benda and Liam Cullen are nursing injuries, but Cooper otherwise has a full group of players to choose from.

The Welsh side gave some of their fringe players a chance against City in the cup, but the likes of Andre Ayew and Conor Hourihane are in line for recalls here.

Ayew has scored in each of his previous three games against Wednesday in the Championship, netting three goals in total.

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Westwood; Harris, Lees, Dunkley, Urhoghide, Reach; Shaw, Hutchinson, Bannan; Paterson, Rhodes

Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Naughton, Bennett, Guehi; Roberts, Fulton, Hourihane, Grimes, Bidwell; Lowe, Ayew


SM words green background

We say: Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Swansea City

Swansea may be in great league form, taking 20 points from the last 24 on offer, but they have a poor record at Hillsborough.

Wednesday have won five on the spin on home soil and we can see them pulling off a surprise victory on Saturday.


Top betting tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting a double chance bet on a home win or an away win in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Home/Away:data


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Game History

How you voted: Sheff Weds vs Swansea

Sheffield Wednesday
25.9%
Draw
11.1%
Swansea City
63.0%
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Swansea City manager Steve Cooper pictured on January 9, 2021
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland1594225111431
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1510321971231
3Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
4Burnley157621861227
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom15672169725
6Watford158162322125
7Middlesbrough157352317624
8Millwall156541813523
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City155732019122
11Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
12Derby CountyDerby155461919019
13Stoke CityStoke155461819-119
14Norwich CityNorwich154652322118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds155371725-818
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd154561718-117
17Coventry CityCoventry154472021-116
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth154471526-1116
19Hull City153661620-415
20Preston North EndPreston153661523-815
21Luton TownLuton154381726-915
22Cardiff CityCardiff154381423-915
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR151771225-1310


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