Preview: Derby County vs Sheffield Wednesday - prediction, team news, lineups

In search of a second straight victory to narrow their gap to the top six in the Championship table, Derby County will welcome Sheffield Wednesday to Pride Park on Saturday.

The hosts got back to winning ways last weekend but remain six points off the playoff spots, while their visitors are already condemned to relegation.

Match preview

Derby County return to Championship action on Saturday aiming to make it consecutive victories to ramp up their pursuit of the playoff places.

After guiding them away from relegation last time around, John Eustace has overseen a strong first full season at Pride Park thus far, with his side sat eighth having earned 51 points from their 35 games, winning 14 and losing 12 of those to already surpass last term's tally with 11 games to spare.

Following a strong run between mid-January and mid-February, in which they picked up four league wins in a six-game span, the Rams did see their top-six hopes take a hit late last month, falling to consecutive away defeats at the hands of fellow playoff-chasers Watford and Hull City.

They would crucially bounce back to winning ways last weekend, though, hosting Blackburn Rovers and coming from behind to win 3-1, as Ben Brereton Diaz drew them level early in the second half, Matt Clarke put them ahead 16 minutes from time and Rhian Brewster added a third.

Now finding themselves six points behind in-form Wrexham in the last playoff spot with 11 games remaining, Derby County need to build on last weekend's win and string a run of results together, continuing on Saturday, if they are to break into the top six in the final run-in.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head to Derbyshire aiming to end a winless run dating back to September with their fate already sealed at the other end of the division.

Facing off-field issues to start the campaign, leaving them with a limited squad, before entering administration in October, Sheffield Wednesday always had an impossible task on their hands in the 2025-26 Championship term, with deductions totalling 18 points.

They have been unable to overcome that, managing just one win and eight draws alongside 26 league defeats to sit bottom on -7 points, having conceded a league-high tally of 71 goals and scored a league-low tally of 21.

Henrik Pedersen's men now find themselves in the midst of a 13-game losing run dating back to New Year's Day, with an away loss to rivals Sheffield United confirming their drop in February, before going on to fall to Norwich City and most recently Southampton last weekend, having trailed 2-0 and halved the deficit through Jerry Yates at Hillsborough before Taylor Harwood-Bellis put the visitors back out of sight.

Now with 11 games remaining of a season they will wish to forget, with hopes continuing to rely on an exit from administration and a switch to more reliable ownership, Sheffield Wednesday will, at least, aim to get closer to positive points and end a long rut with what would be a major upset at Pride Park.

Derby County Championship form:

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Sheffield Wednesday Championship form:

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Team News

Derby County are set to remain without first-choice goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, who is sidelined alongside Danny Batth, Max Johnston, Sondre Langas, Liam Thompson and Lars-Jorgen Salvesen.

The Rams may be unchanged from last week's win over Blackburn Rovers, with Josh Vickers continuing to deputise in the sticks in Zetterstrom's absence, while Matt Clarke and Dion Sanderson will continue their centre-back partnership.

Brewster has a claim for an attacking spot after his goal off the bench last week, but he faces stiff competition with Brereton Diaz, Sammie Szmodics and Patrick Agyemang all hoping to keep their places behind Carlton Morris, who has recently returned from injury with 10 goals to his name in 20 Championship appearances this term.

Sheffield Wednesday remain unable to call on Murphy Cooper, Max Lowe, Ernie Weaver, Liam Cooper, Di'Shon Bernard and George Brown due to ongoing injuries.

Pierce Charles is nearing a return, though, and he may come back in between the sticks after an injury layoff, with the Owls unable to renew Seny Dieng's emergency loan if Charles is fit to feature.

Midfielder Jaden Heskey is a fresh doubt having missed last weekend's Southampton game, but Nathaniel Chalobah is back in contention after his layoff and should again partner Svante Ingelsson.

Derby County possible starting lineup:

Vickers; Ward, Sanderson, Clarke, Murkin; Clark, Travis; Brereton Diaz, Szmodics, Agyemang; Morris

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Charles; Iorfa, Otegbayo, Palmer; Fusire, Chalobah, Ingelsson, Adaramola; McNeill; Lowe, Yates

We say: Derby County 3-1 Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday have shown more signs of life in recent games, but the Owls remain unable to compete with Championship sides over a full 90-minute period given the limitations in their squad.

We cannot see past their 13-game losing run continuing and the Rams making it back-to-back wins in their playoff push.

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