Aiming to build on a fine run of form and a climb into the top six of the Championship table, Coventry City will travel to Hillsborough to take on Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend.
An eight-game unbeaten streak has seen the visitors climb into sixth spot while their hosts find themselves four points adrift of safety, despite a heavy defeat at the weekend, thanks to an improved run of their own.
Match preview
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Sheffield Wednesday head into Saturday's contest at Hillsborough aiming to rebound from a setback last weekend and climb closer to safety in the Championship after their recent improvement under Danny Rohl's management.
In late November after 17 Championship games on their return to England's second tier, the South Yorkshire outfit sat in a concerning position in the fight for survival, as they were rooted to the foot of the table on just six points having managed a single victory while suffering 13 defeats.
The Owls were able to reverse their fortunes late last year, though, adding four victories and 13 points to their tally in the next eight attempts before the turn of the year, culminating in a 1-0 victory away at Preston North End before picking up where they left off with a 3-1 triumph over Hull City on New Year's Day, thanks to goals from Marvin Johnson, Djeidi Gassama and Josh Windass, before thrashing Cardiff City 4-0 in the FA Cup third round with Windass again on the scoresheet alongside Liam Palmer and Mallik Wilks and a Romaine Sawyers own goal.
Aiming to build on their impressive upturn and jump out of the bottom three, Rohl's side most recently faced a tough trip to promotion-chasing Southampton on Saturday, but their momentum was halted by a 4-0 thrashing, as Che Adams put their hosts ahead in the first half before Adam Armstrong, Ryan Fraser and Sekou Mara widened the gap at St Mary's.
While Sheffield Wednesday were somewhat let off by sides around them also failing to triumph at the weekend, they do now sit four points adrift of safety and will be keen to regain ground on Huddersfield Town in the fight for survival but face another unenviable test against another of the division's form teams.
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Coventry City return to action at the weekend in fine form, having put an eye-catching run together to bounce back from a difficult start and climb into the Championship playoff places.
A defeat to Ipswich Town in early December left Mark Robins's side on 22 points from 19 league outings, and they have since gone unbeaten and added 18 points to that tally in the last eight attempts, recording five victories along the way.
That included a 2-0 triumph over Saturday's opponents on Boxing Day, thanks to Tatsuhiro Sakamoto's brace, to make it back-to-back three-point hauls either side of Christmas, and then following a 2-2 draw with Swansea City, the midlands outfit have again managed consecutive league wins and three straight triumphs in all competitions in the new year.
The Sky Blues firstly picked returned to winning ways with an impressive 3-1 triumph away at Middlesbrough on New Year's Day, and after thrashing Oxford United 6-2 in the FA Cup third round, they most recently hosted league leaders Leicester City last weekend and came from behind in the final 15 minutes to take all three points from a 3-1 victory as Callum O'Hare netted a brace alongside Milan van Ewijk's goal.
Such a result has seen Coventry City climb into the top six for the first time this campaign, and aiming to go one better after last season's playoff final penalty shootout heartbreak, they will be keen to strengthen their position in the playoffs in the coming weeks, starting with a third straight victory on Saturday.
Team News
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Danny Rohl may opt to make several changes to his Sheffield Wednesday side following their 4-0 beating away at Southampton last time out, with Brighton & Hove Albion loanee James Beadle likely to earn a debut between the sticks after his January arrival and displace Cameron Dawson.
While Dominic Iorfa remains sidelined by injury, alongside Callum Paterson, centre-back Bambo Diaby may still drop to the bench, with Di'Shon Bernard likely to move back and rejoin Michael Ihiekwe in the middle of the back four, while Marvin Johnson should again feature on the left-hand side, with the Owls having reportedly turned down a bid for the 33-year-old.
Will Vaulks should come in to join Barry Bannan in the engine room, while Rohl may deploy an unchanged attacking setup in the Owls' 4-2-3-1 shape, despite the recent arrival of striker Ike Ugbo, with Djeidi Gassama, Josh Windass and Anthony Musaba supporting lone striker Bailey Cadamarteri.
With key forward Haji Wright remaining sidelined by injury, Ellis Simms will fight to come in and lead the Coventry City line from the outset in their own 4-2-3-1 shape, having only managed three goals since his summer arrival from Everton, after Matt Godden was preferred last time out against Leicester City.
Whichever forward is deployed will have support from a dangerous attacking trio featuring Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and star man Callum O'Hare, who has notched up six goals in his last nine appearances after returning from a long-term injury layoff.
January arrival Victor Torp will hope to displace either Josh Eccles or Ben Sheaf and earn a start in the engine room, while Milan van Ewijk, Bobby Thomas, Liam Kitching and Jake Bidwell are bound to line up in an unaltered back four.
Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Beadle; Valentin, Ihiekwe, Bernard, Johnson; Vaulks, Bannan; Gassama, Windass, Musaba; Cadamarteri
Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Collins; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Bidwell; Sheaf, Eccles; Sakamoto, O'Hare, Palmer; Godden
We say: Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Coventry City
Aside from the recent thrashing at St Mary's, Sheffield Wednesday are certainly full of renewed confidence under Rohl and should cause problems for the visitors, but Coventry City are in a strong run of their own and should have enough to outclass the Owls and extend their winning streak.
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Top tip
Sam Varley
