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Sheffield Wednesday logo
Championship
Mar 15, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Birmingham logo

4-1

Lavery (16', 68'), Best (21'), Packwood (58' og.)
FT(HT: 2-0)
Novak (80')

Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs. Birmingham City

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham at Hillsborough.

Sheffield Wednesday's Championship revival has taken a hit in recent weeks, and they will look to rectify that when they host Birmingham City at Hillsborough this Saturday.

The Owls have lost their last two games and five of their last seven in all competitions, a run of form more similar to their record before Stuart Gray took the reins.

However, they remain 10 points clear of the bottom three with 12 matches to go and should be just a couple of wins away from securing their Championship status for another season.

Gray will be eyeing Saturday's match against Birmingham as a perfect chance to secure one of those victories, and such a result could lift his side back into 16th place.

Wednesday have won four of their last six league outings at Hillsborough, although they have only managed three goals in their last five home games in all competitions.

Gray could welcome back Chris Maguire, Gary Gardner and Michail Antonio to his side, but Rafael Floro, Anthony Gardner, Reda Johnson and Kieran Lee are all likely to miss out.

Birmingham's position is not quite as safe as Wednesday's, although they do have a useful cushion between themselves and the relegation zone.

The Blues are currently eight points above 22nd-placed Yeovil Town, but Lee Clark will be eager to get more points on the board to secure his side's Championship status as soon as possible.

One reason for that is the fact that both Yeovil and Barnsley have a game in hand over his side, while bottom-placed Charlton have a whopping four games to make up a nine-point gap.

Birmingham have won just one of their last six matches in the league, although their dramatic last-gasp 3-3 draw with high flyers Burnley on Wednesday will have felt as good as a victory.

Their away form has been far more impressive than their record in front of their own fans this season, so Clark will be looking towards the matches on the road to pick up the points necessary to stay in the division.

He will once again be without Neal Eardley and Matthew Green, but Federico Macheda's heroics in that game against Burnley could earn him a starting role.

Recent form

Sheff Weds: LWLWLL

Birmingham: LLWLLD

Possible starting lineups

Sheff Weds: Martinez; Palmer, Onyewu, Loovens, Helan; Maguire, Coke, Gardner, Antonio, Maghoma; Best

Birmingham: Randolph; Spector, Packwood, Martin, Robinson; Adeyemi, Huws; Burke, Novak, Lee; Macheda

Sports Mole says: 1-1


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Stuart Gray manager of Sheffield Wednesday looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United at Hillsborough Stadium on January 11, 2014
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds1695228121632
2Sunderland1695226121432
3Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1610422191232
4Burnley168621961330
5Middlesbrough1683529191027
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom166821811726
7Watford168262524126
8Millwall166641914524
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City165742020022
11Derby CountyDerby165562020020
12Stoke CityStoke165561920-120
13Norwich CityNorwich164752524119
14Swansea CitySwansea165471414019
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds165471826-819
16Luton TownLuton165381826-818
17Coventry CityCoventry164572223-117
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd164571924-517
19Plymouth ArgylePlymouth164571728-1117
20Preston North EndPreston163761624-816
21Cardiff CityCardiff164481524-916
22Hull City163671621-515
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR161871326-1311


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