Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs. Fulham

Fulham will be hoping that they can put more distance between themselves and the relegation zone when they travel to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday this weekend.

Kit Symons's side remain eight points clear of the bottom three in 21st heading into the match, but a run of three defeats in four outings has seen them slip back down the table in recent weeks.

The Cottagers were on the wrong end of a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of league leaders Bournemouth last time out, having played the last 20 minutes with 10 men after Fernando Amorebieta was sent off.

The red card means that the defender is suspended for the clash with the Owls, while Alex Kacaniklic is also expected to miss out through injury.

Lasse Vigen Christensen remains sidelined with a hamstring injury but has been in Germany receiving treatment for the issue this week, while George Williams has undergone surgery to repair the ACL rupture that he sustained during a recent loan spell with MK Dons.

Meanwhile, Saturday's hosts will be keen to continue their recent run of form, which has moved them up into the top half of the table.

Stuart Gray's side beat Blackpool in their last outing, giving them their third win in four matches in the Championship and leaving them 11th in the table.

While a playoff place seems unlikely for the Owls, who are 12 points off sixth place, the team will now feel that they have done enough to remain in the second tier for another season, having moved 18 points clear of the drop zone.

The manager confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Sam Hutchinson has returned to training after injuring his foot in the win over Blackpool, and is expected to be fit for Saturday's game.

Jose Semedo has not featured for the Owls since being accused of spitting of Middlesbrough's Grant Leadbitter, something which the FA has said that it will investigate, and will miss out again as he continues to battle a foot injury.

Fulham thrashed this weekend's opponents 4-0 when they met in the reverse fixture in December.

Sheffield Wednesday:

Form in Championship: DLWWLW Form in all competitions: DLWWLW

Possible starting lineup: Westwood, Hutchinson, Palmer, Nuhiu, Maguire, Lees, Helan, Lee, Dielna, McGugan, Keane

Fulham:

Form in Championship: LDLWLL Form in all competitions: LDLWLL

Possible starting lineup: Bettinelli, Hoogland, Bodurov, Hutchinson, Voser, Parker, Tunnicliffe, Kavanagh, Ruiz, Rodallega, McCormack

Sports Mole says: 2-1