With three points separating them in the bottom half of the Championship table, Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff City will do battle at Hillsborough on Saturday.
The two sides each suffered defeats before the recent international break, leaving the hosts 15th and the visitors 22nd but only adrift of safety on goal difference.
Match preview
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Sheffield Wednesday return to action on Saturday aiming to climb back towards the Championship's top half, having struggled for consistency prior to the November international break.
The South Yorkshire outfit have shown steady improvement in their first full season under Danny Rohl, currently sitting 15th on 18 points after avoiding relegation late last term, and their latest run of league fixtures produced two victories, three defeats and a draw heading into the break.
It is at the back where the Owls have struggled thus far, with only three sides in England's second tier having conceded more than the 25 goals that they have allowed in their 15 outings, including a 6-2 home defeat to Watford at the beginning of November.
Rohl's men did bounce back from that defeat with a 2-0 triumph over Norwich City, only to visit rivals Sheffield United for a Steel City Derby at Bramall Lane and fall short in a 1-0 defeat, as Tyrese Campbell's goal early in the second half made the difference for the Blades.
Now only leading the Championship relegation zone by three points trailing 11th-placed Swansea City by one, Sheffield Wednesday will bid to put a first winning run of the season together beginning with a three-point haul on home turf to quickly improve their standing.
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Their visitors, meanwhile, head to South Yorkshire with the aim of jumping out of the drop zone having suffered a dip in form before the break.
Following a dismal start to the campaign, Omer Riza took temporary charge of Cardiff City in September with the Welsh outfit sat at the foot of the Championship on one point from five games, and he was able to inspire an impressive improvement, overseeing a six-match unbeaten streak between early October and early November.
That run produced the Bluebirds' first four league victories of the season, all of which came on home turf, before seeing the streak ended in a 1-0 defeat away at Luton Town, leaving them having earned just three points from seven games on the road.
Aiming to bounce back before the break, they most recently hosted Blackburn Rovers and came away empty-handed for the eighth time this season, succumbing to a 3-1 defeat having pulled the game back to 2-1 through David Turnbull in the second half, only for Lewis Baker to put the game out of sight late on.
Still under the temporary stewardship of Riza, and despite dropping back into the bottom three following those defeats, Cardiff City do remain within touching distance of safety, only trailing three sides on goal difference and two by a point, and they will bid to move out of the drop zone and ahead of the hosts with a return to winning ways at Hillsborough.
Team News
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Sheffield Wednesday continue to deal with several injury issues heading into the weekend's clash, as defenders Michael Ihiekwe and Akin Famewo are set to remain out of action alongside midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah and winger Olaf Kobacki.
Danny Rohl could make some changes from the loss to Sheffield United before the break, with Michael Smith pushing to return from the outset up front, and he could displace former Cardiff City man Ike Ugbo, who is yet to score in the Championship this season.
Josh Windass, Jamal Lowe, Anthony Musaba and Djeidi Gassama will also compete for attacking spots, while Shea Charles is bound to again join Barry Bannan in midfield having shone since arriving on loan from Southampton.
Cardiff City have several issues of their own to deal with on Saturday, with Aaron Ramsey and Kion Etete remaining sidelined, while Joe Ralls and Callum Robinson may struggle to return to action in time to feature after being absent before the break.
In Robinson's absence, Chris Willock led the line against Blackburn, and he could again spearhead their 4-2-3-1 shape with support from Ollie Tanner, Rubin Colwill and Anwar El Ghazi.
Yakou Meite will also fight for a starting spot in the front four, though, while David Turnbull and Alex Robertson are bound to continue their partnership in the engine room.
Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Beadle; Iorfa, Bernard, Lowe; Valery, Bannan, Charles, Johnson; Windass, Smith, Gassama
Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Alnwick; Ng, Goutas, Daland, O'Dowda; Robertson, Turnbull; Tanner, Colwill, El Ghazi; Willock
We say: Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Cardiff City
Omer Riza's Cardiff City side are tasked with bouncing back to form after seeing their fine early run ended before the break, but they may struggle away at a Sheffield Wednesday side who are also desperate to get back to winning ways at the weekend.
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Sam Varley
