Sheffield Wednesday host Derby County at Hillsborough on Saturday knowing that it is important to maintain their recent good form if they are to stay away from the relegation zone.
Dave Jones team has picked up plenty of points recently but fellow strugglers Ipswich, Birmingham, Peterborough and Barnsley have also had an upturn in results of late which has meant that the Owls are not as far away from trouble as they might have expected to be.
Wednesday produced a good home display in beating Brighton last weekend and so Dave Jones may choose to field an unchanged side with no new injury or suspension problems to affect his selection. Talismanic defender Reda Johnson remains sidelined with a foot/ankle injury.
Derby are likely to have former Sheffield United striker Jamie Ward in their line up. Ward was withdrawn from international duty during the week with a slight hamstring strain but is expected to be fit to face the Owls.
Ex-Doncaster Rovers defender James O’Connor misses out due to a knee injury and although centre-back Jake Buxton has returned to training after a knee injury kept him sidelined he is unlikely to make the starting line up.
The Owls run of good form has seen them win six and lose just one of their last nine league matches. Derby’s form has been inconsistent with two wins, two draws and two defeats in their last six. The Rams enjoyed a 3-0 home win against Huddersfield last weekend but they have struggled away from Pride Park, winning only one of their last nine on the road.
Derby have not lost on their last four visits to Hillsborough, winning twice. The two teams drew 2-2 at Pride Park on the opening day of the season when Wednesday came back from 2-0 down to pick up a point thanks to a last minute equaliser.