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[monks data]
Sheffield Wednesday logo
Championship
Mar 1, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Middlesbrough logo

1-0

Nuhiu (86' pen.)
FT(HT: 0-0)

Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs. Middlesbrough

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

Sheffield Wednesday have built up a comfortable nine-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone and could edge further towards safety with a win over Middlesbrough at Hillsborough this Saturday.

A remarkable turnaround in form under Stuart Gray has seen the Owls fly up the table over the past few months and they now sit 15th, just four points behind Boro with a game in hand.

Wednesday's form has stuttered a little in recent weeks, suffering three defeats in their last four matches, including elimination from the FA Cup at the hands of Charlton Athletic on Monday.

However, their only two Championship defeats in their last 11 league outings have come against high flyers Wigan Athletic and Derby County.

Both of those losses came at Hillsborough, ending a three-match winning streak for Wednesday in front of their own fans, who have now gone two home games without seeing their side score a goal.

Gray is likely to bring Atdhe Nuhiu back into the side, but he will be without the injured Rafael Floro and Anthony Gardner, while Reda Johnson is also a major doubt.

Middlesbrough, meanwhile, will be worrying less about the result and more about scoring a goal in this match having not found the net in any of their last six games.

The last player to score for Aitor Karanka's side was Emanuel Ledesma in the 16th minute of their 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic on January 18, making it 614 minutes without a goal.

On the plus side, their defensive record over that period is good, having only conceded once in their last five games, but four goalless draws in that time have ended any slim hopes they may have had of challenging for the playoffs.

Their away record leaves a lot to be desired as they have managed just three wins in their last 29 matches on the road stretching back into last season.

Karanka will be without the suspended Ben Gibson for the match, but Lee Tomlin could make his first start as the manager looks to give Danny Graham more support in an attempt to end the goal drought.

Recent form

Sheff Weds: WWLLWL

Middlesbrough: LDDDLD

Possible starting lineups

Sheff Weds: Kirkland; Palmer, Llera, Loovens, Mattock; Lee, Maguire, Gardner, Antonio, Maghoma; Nuhiu

Middlesbrough: Given; Varga, Omeruo, Woodgate, Friend; Whitehead, Chalobah; Butterfield, Tomlin, Adomah; Graham

Sports Mole says: 2-0


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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland149322391430
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd149321871128
3Leeds UnitedLeeds147522291326
4Burnley146621761124
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom14572148622
6Millwall146441712522
7Watford147162222022
8Middlesbrough146351816221
9Swansea CitySwansea14545119219
10Blackburn RoversBlackburn145451616019
11Bristol City144731819-119
12Norwich CityNorwich144642320318
13Derby CountyDerby145361818018
14Stoke CityStoke145361718-118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds145361724-718
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd144551717017
17Coventry CityCoventry144371819-115
18Hull City143651518-315
19Luton TownLuton144371621-515
20Preston North EndPreston143651420-615
21Cardiff CityCardiff144371320-715
22Plymouth ArgylePlymouth144371425-1115
23Queens Park RangersQPR141761223-1110
24Portsmouth141671327-149


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