Fulham go in search of what would be an impressive league double when they face Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday.
The opposition
Following their 4-0 defeat at the Cottage just before Christmas – the only time they’ve conceded more than three goals in a league fixture this season – Sheffield Wednesday provided a timely response with consecutive wins over Blackpool, Wigan Athletic and Nottingham Forest to move themselves up to eighth in the Sky Bet Championship table.
They endured something of a blip thereafter, though, when they went seven games without a victory – a period in which they picked up just three points in total – but they’ve recovered from that and go into Saturday’s match in good form having won three of the last four.
Going into the reverse fixture at Craven Cottage, Wednesday had the second-best defence in the division, and the same is true ahead of the weekend’s meeting. Only Middlesbrough have conceded fewer than their 34 goals, and if they keep a clean sheet against the Whites they will equal a club record of 17 shut-outs in a season.
It’s up front where the Owls have struggled this season, and one would imagine they’d be higher than their current position of 11th had they found the back of the net more frequently. Only bottom two Millwall and Blackpool have scored less than their 32.
Team news
Wednesday could have Sam Hutchinson available for this weekend’s game, as the former Chelsea man seems to have recovered from the bruised foot that saw him substituted after just 18 minutes of their previous outing. However, Glenn Loovens, Jose Semedo, Kamil Zayatte and Sergiu Bus all miss out for the hosts.
Inside the camp
Manager Stuart Gray says the Owls will continue pushing for a Play-Off spot until it’s mathematically impossible for them to gatecrash the top-six.
Wednesday are currently 13 points behind sixth-place Brentford, but with 10 matches still to be played, stranger things have happened.
“I’ve got a great bunch of lads, an honest bunch of lads who give 100 per cent,” he says on swfc.co.uk. “Our challenge is to finish higher than last season and keep looking up to the Play-Offs until it’s mathematically impossible.
“That’s the challenge for the players. I’ve got players out of contract and fighting and scrapping for new ones.
“I’ve got players who are in the side at the moment and playing well. Confidence is high, we’re in a decent run of form and had a good win at Blackpool last week.
“It surprises me where Fulham find themselves in the division because they have some quality players in their squad.
“It won’t be an easy game but from my point of view, I’m only concerned with what we do and I want to see our good run extended at Hillsborough this weekend.”
Player to watch
Lewis McGugan: An experienced campaigner at Championship level with a keen eye for goal, dynamic midfielder Lewis McGugan is currently on loan to the Owls from Watford. The 26-year-old came through the ranks at Nottingham Forest before making his debut for the club in 2006 whilst they were in League One. He wasted no time in announcing himself on the scene, winning Forest’s Goal of the Season that year. He repeated that feat the following term as Forest gained promotion back into the Championship. McGugan was a mainstay in the side for the following four seasons, clocking up more than 200 appearances for the Reds and scoring an impressive 40 goals from midfield. He joined Watford as a free agent in the summer of 2013 but fell out of favour earlier this season and subsequently joined Wednesday on loan before the turn of the year, and then re-joined in February. A goalscoring midfielder known for his powerful long-range shooting and energy, he could be a threat to the Whites on Saturday with his set-pieces. He goes into the match with three goals from his last five games.
Marathonbet match odds
Sheffield Wednesday: 26/25
Draw: 49/20
Fulham: 16/5