It is a battle between the haves and have-nots of the second tier on Wednesday night, as strugglers Sheffield Wednesday welcome league leaders Leicester City to Hillsborough in the Championship.
The Owls have failed to see a significant upturn in form despite the dismissal of Xisco Munoz last month, while the Foxes are cantering towards an immediate return to the Premier League.
Match preview
© Reuters
Sheffield Wednesday suffered their fifth loss in six games under the new leadership of Danny Rohl on Saturday afternoon, handing Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney his maiden success as Birmingham City boss, but the visitors at St Andrew's really should have earned at least a point.
The Owls were far the better outfit in the first period in the West Midlands with the likes of Barry Bannan dictating the play, and they were ahead in the 45th minute after the former Aston Villa man's free-kick smashed off the post and into the path of George Byers, who tapped home into an empty net.
Despite their impressive control of the opening stages, you always felt that Wednesday were going to find a way to throw the points away, and so they did, with strikes from Juninho Bacuna and Wales international Jordan James for Blues condemning Rohl's men to their 13th loss in 17 league matches.
Following Huddersfield Town's shock point against Russell Martin's Southampton on the weekend, the Owls are now 10 points away from safety at the foot of the Championship standings, having collected just six points from 17 second-tier matches, scoring a mere eight times since their promotion in May.
Wednesday's only maximum this season did arrive at Hillsborough against relegation rivals Rotherham United prior to the international break courtesy of a Michael Smith brace, however the visit of Enzo Maresca's Foxes will be a completely different - and frankly scarier - proposition.
© Reuters
After suffering back-to-back defeats in the Championship for the first time this term following losses to Leeds United and Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough, Leicester City got their promotion train back on track with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Watford at the King Power Stadium on the weekend.
The Foxes controlled proceedings in the opening 45 minutes without massively testing Daniel Bachmann in the Hornets' net, but the introduction of club legend Jamie Vardy with 35 minutes left to play changed the narrative for the hosts, with the 36-year-old netting a brace to help his side to a 14th win of the season.
The fact that Leicester had full internationals such as Conor Coady, Harry Souttar and Dennis Praet restricted to watching briefs on the bench last time out highlights why they are overwhelming favourites to lift the Championship trophy in May, with the East Midlanders possessing a depth of quality which was previously unseen at this level.
Marseca's men were helped in their quest for promotion by Ipswich Town, Leeds and Southampton all dropping points over the weekend, meaning the 2015-16 Premier League winners are now three points ahead of the second-placed Tractor Boys and 10 clear of Daniel Farke's Whites.
Midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall made his 100th appearance for the Foxes in the win over Watford on Saturday, and the 25-year-old has assumed the role of creator following the departure of James Maddison to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, providing 11 goal contributions in 17 second-tier appearances.
Team News
© Reuters
Sheffield Wednesday will be without a key option in attack on Wednesday night, with striker Josh Windass serving a one-game suspension for collecting five yellow cards before the 19-game cut-off point.
Rohl is hoping to get three-goal forward Smith back into the matchday squad after he missed out at St Andrew's due to injury, although Ashley Fletcher will deputise up front should the 32-year-old not be available.
Right-back Juan Delgado will be absent again at Hillsborough as he recovers from hip surgery, meaning natural centre-back Dominic Iorfa could start on the right side of the hosts' backline once again.
After picking up his fifth card of the term against Middlesbrough, Harry Winks missed Leicester's success over Watford, but the former England international is available for selection for this one.
Kasey McAteer's place in the starting XI is under threat due to the wealth of talent within the Foxes' attacking ranks, with Abdul Fatawu pushing for a place in the team.
Vardy should be rewarded with a start on Wednesday after bagging a brace off the bench, meaning Kelechi Iheanacho should prepare for a night amongst the substitutes.
Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Dawson; Iorfa, Ihiekwe, Diaby, Famewo; Byers, Vaulks, Wilks, Bannan, Musaba; Fletcher
Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Hermansen; Pereira, Faes, Vestergaard, Justin; Choudhury, Winks, Dewsbury-Hall; Fatawu, Mavididi, Vardy
We say: Sheffield Wednesday 0-3 Leicester City
Sheffield Wednesday's performances have certainly improved since Rohl joined the club, but the visit of Leicester will not provide the Owls with any chance to showcase their new tricks.
The Foxes need to be cautious of complacency as they clash with the division's poorest outfit on Wednesday, but regardless the league leaders are expected to win comfortably at Hillsborough.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
