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

Goal difference alone keeps Barnsley off the foot of the table as they prepare to host Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon.

After an upsurge in form, the relegation strugglers have slipped back into their old ways and are in dire form, with Wednesday hoping to capitalise and build some momentum of their own.

Match preview

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Barnsley sit 23rd in the Championship table and are seven points off safety, having picked up just five wins from their 30 league games this season - the fewest of any team.

Gerhard Struber's side have lost their last three league games and their last four in all competitions, most recently slipping to a damaging 2-1 defeat against a Charlton Athletic side that had claimed just one victory since October.

Barnsley have the second-worst defensive record in the league behind only Luton Town, having shipped a whopping 56 goals in 30 games and are one of only three sides in the division to have conceded more than 50 so far.

The visit of Wednesday will not be a fixture the hosts are looking forward to, having already lost 2-0 in the reverse fixture at Hillsborough in their second league outing of the campaign.

Garry Monk will be hoping things go as smoothly this time as well, with his side slipping to 11th in the league standings as their inconsistent form continues.

Wednesday have won just one of their last seven league games, losing five, and are in desperate need of a positive result to build on.

The Owls drew 0-0 with Millwall last time out and are now seven points off sixth-placed Bristol City and the playoffs as the teams ahead of them start to ease away.

It is possible that cup commitments have distracted Monk's side, as they have reached the fifth round of the FA Cup and earned themselves a glamour home tie with reigning champions Manchester City.

Barnsley Championship form: DLWLLL Barnsley form (all competitions): WWLLLL

Sheffield Wednesday Championship form: LLWLLD Sheffield Wednesday form (all competitions): WWLWLD

Team News

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Barnsley boss Struber has very little to worry about in terms of the fitness of his squad.

Bambo Diaby and Mike Bahre are both close to returns from injury and illness, respectively, and there are no other absentees.

Wednesday manager Monk, however, has a little more to consider in that department.

Morgan Fox is still sidelined and Massimo Luongo is close to a return, but the biggest blow remains up front.

Steven Fletcher is still out and is not expected to return until the middle of March at the soonest.

Barnsley possible starting lineup: Radlinger; Williams, Solbauer, Andersen, Oduor; Thomas, Halme, Mowatt; Brown, Woodrow, Chaplin

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup: Dawson; Palmer, Iorfa, Borner, Odubajo; Murphy, Pelupessy, Bannan, Harris; Reach; Nuhiu

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We say: Barnsley 1-2 Sheffield Wednesday

Both sides are in poor form but Wednesday are clearly the superior outfit and should claim a much-needed victory over their struggling opponents.