Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs. Bristol City - prediction, team news, lineups

Relegation-threatened Sheffield Wednesday host Bristol City in a crucial Championship encounter on Saturday as they look to close a eight-point gap to safety.

Both sides head into this fixture out of form, with the Owls claiming only 13 points from a possible 48 since the beginning of February, while the Robins have accumulated just 10 points in the same period.

Match preview

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With just five games remaining, time is now running out for Sheffield Wednesday to drag themselves away from the bottom three, a position they have been in since early February.

A poor run of only two wins in their last 13 matches, keeping just one clean sheet in the process, has heaped more pressure on Darren Moore's side heading down the home straight.

Tuesday night's 2-0 home defeat to promotion hopefuls Swansea City was their 22nd in the Championship this season - only basement club Wycombe Wanderers have lost more - and that result leaves the Owls eight points from safety.

After a run of five matches against sides in the top half of the table, Sheffield Wednesday now face a kinder set of fixtures as four of their final five games are against teams currently placed 14th or lower in the division, with an out-of-form Bristol City side up next.

Wednesday are unbeaten in their last five home matches against the Robins, winning four of those games and keeping a clean sheet in each of their last three.

Every game is a must-win for the Owls now and securing all three points on Saturday would be huge if they are to avoid dropping down to League One, a division they last competed in during the 2011-12 campaign.

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Bristol City ended a club-record run of six successive home defeats with a goalless draw at home to Nottingham Forest last weekend.

The Robins were fortunate to come away with a point after failing to have a single shot on target and only 37% possession, in contrast to Forest, who had 16 shots on goal and dominated for large spells of the match.

That result has moved Nigel Pearson's side on to 50 points for the eighth consecutive league campaign and leaves them in 14th, 11 points clear of the relegation zone, although 18th-placed Rotherham United have two games in hand.

Hopes of finishing in the playoffs this season are now over after a run of just three wins from their last 16 matches, losing 11 in the process, has seen them drop 21 points behind the top six.

The Robins have struggled to gain any kind of momentum since the appointment of Pearson in February, who has won only two of his nine games in charge.

Although struggling for form overall, they head to Hillsborough with a slightly better away record this season and have lost only one of their last five on the road.

Bristol City beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 on home soil in September and another victory on Saturday would see them secure their first league double against them since the 2007-08 season under former boss Gary Johnson.

Team News

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Wednesday boss Moore has suggested that Joost van Aken and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru have overcome their injuries and now need to build up their fitness before being thrown into contention.

Full-back Moses Odubajo and goalkeeper Cameron Dawson are also closing in on returns, however this weekend's match my come too soon for the pair.

Kieran Westwood started in goal on Tuesday and may keep his place ahead of Joe Wildsmith, while Callum Paterson could return to the first XI at the expense of Liam Shaw.

As for Bristol City, they have a number of first team players injured, with striker Sam Bell the latest to join the likes of Alfie Mawson, Callum O'Dowda, Chris Martin and Liam Walsh on the treatment table.

Full-back Jay Dasilva, who has been out since December with a tibia problem, could be in contention to feature but if the 22-year-old is deemed fit to play, he is more likely to be named among the substitutes.

Famara Diedhiou has begun two of the last three matches on the bench, but could be handed a start in attack ahead of Nakhi Wells, or alongside him if Pearson decides to name two strikers in his starting lineup.

Sam Pearson started his first senior game for the Robins last weekend and may keep his place in the first XI.

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Westwood; Hutchinson, Lees, Borner; Palmer, Pelupessy, Bannan, Reach; Windass; Paterson, Rhodes

Bristol City possible starting lineup:
Bentley; Simpson, Vyner, Kalas, Rowe; Nagy, Massengo; Pearson, Semenyo, Palmer; Diedhiou

We say: Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Bristol City

With only a maximum of 15 points available for Sheffield Wednesday until the end of the season, securing three of those against Bristol City is crucial if they are to close the eight-point gap to safety.

As a win is more important for the hosts, we feel that they might just edge a closely-fought contest this weekend.