Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs. Birmingham City

Sheffield Wednesday's Championship revival has taken a hit in recent weeks, and they will look to rectify that when they host Birmingham City at Hillsborough this Saturday.

The Owls have lost their last two games and five of their last seven in all competitions, a run of form more similar to their record before Stuart Gray took the reins.

However, they remain 10 points clear of the bottom three with 12 matches to go and should be just a couple of wins away from securing their Championship status for another season.

Gray will be eyeing Saturday's match against Birmingham as a perfect chance to secure one of those victories, and such a result could lift his side back into 16th place.

Wednesday have won four of their last six league outings at Hillsborough, although they have only managed three goals in their last five home games in all competitions.

Gray could welcome back Chris Maguire, Gary Gardner and Michail Antonio to his side, but Rafael Floro, Anthony Gardner, Reda Johnson and Kieran Lee are all likely to miss out.

Birmingham's position is not quite as safe as Wednesday's, although they do have a useful cushion between themselves and the relegation zone.

The Blues are currently eight points above 22nd-placed Yeovil Town, but Lee Clark will be eager to get more points on the board to secure his side's Championship status as soon as possible.

One reason for that is the fact that both Yeovil and Barnsley have a game in hand over his side, while bottom-placed Charlton have a whopping four games to make up a nine-point gap.

Birmingham have won just one of their last six matches in the league, although their dramatic last-gasp 3-3 draw with high flyers Burnley on Wednesday will have felt as good as a victory.

Their away form has been far more impressive than their record in front of their own fans this season, so Clark will be looking towards the matches on the road to pick up the points necessary to stay in the division.

He will once again be without Neal Eardley and Matthew Green, but Federico Macheda's heroics in that game against Burnley could earn him a starting role.

Recent form

Sheff Weds: LWLWLL

Birmingham: LLWLLD

Possible starting lineups

Sheff Weds: Martinez; Palmer, Onyewu, Loovens, Helan; Maguire, Coke, Gardner, Antonio, Maghoma; Best

Birmingham: Randolph; Spector, Packwood, Martin, Robinson; Adeyemi, Huws; Burke, Novak, Lee; Macheda

Sports Mole says: 1-1