Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs Watford - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to narrow their six-point gap to the top six in the Championship table, Watford will travel to Hillsborough on Tuesday to take on Sheffield Wednesday.

After a free weekend due to FA Cup action elsewhere, the visitors sit ninth thanks to a return to winning ways last time out in February, while the hosts are already relegated on -7 points in a 14-game losing run.

Match preview

Sheffield Wednesday head back into action at Hillsborough on Tuesday aiming to end a losing run dating back to the turn of the year and a winless streak going back as far as mid-September 2025.

With looming off-field issues from the start of the campaign, limiting their squad, and later entering administration causing total deductions of 18 points, relegation seemed all but inevitable for the Owls, who have managed just one league win alongside 27 defeats to sit at the foot of the table on -7 points.

Their drop to the third tier was confirmed in a 2-1 away loss in the Steel City Derby at Sheffield United, and a losing run has since been stretched to 14 matches and 13 in the league having gone on to fall at the hands of Norwich City and Southampton in the next two attempts.

A trip to Derby County then followed at the weekend, and after falling behind and drawing level in the first half through Jerry Yates, Henrik Pedersen's side would again come away empty-handed as Matt Clarke scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 home win on the stroke of half time.

Now facing the last 10 games of their Championship campaign, with hopes of exiting administration and turning a new leaf for life in League One next term, Sheffield Wednesday will hope to begin an improved run to bow out on a high with a long-awaited return to winning ways on Tuesday.

They face a difficult test, though, with the visitors arriving in South Yorkshire aiming to ramp up their pursuit of the playoff places heading into the final run of the term.

With 11 games remaining of their Championship season, Watford sit ninth on 51 points from 35 outings, winning 13 and losing 10 of those.

After the unexpected departure of Javi Gracia in February, their playoff bid then came under the control of Edward Still, who began in the middle of last month with a draw against Preston North End and a 2-0 home victory over fellow top-six hopefuls Derby County.

Then on the back of a first defeat under their new boss at the hands of Ipswich Town, the Hornets visited Bristol City in late February and bounced back to winning ways, leading through Luca Kjerrumgaard and being pegged back by Scott Twine, before Jeremy Ngakia sealed a 2-1 victory 13 minutes from time.

Now returning to action after a free FA Cup weekend, Watford sit six points behind sixth-placed Wrexham and just three off seventh spot with a game in hand, and they will hope to ramp up the pressure on the playoff places with another victory in midweek.

Sheffield Wednesday Championship form:

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Watford Championship form:

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Team News

Sheffield Wednesday remain unable to call on goalkeeper Murphy Cooper, defenders Di'Shon Bernard, Max Lowe and Liam Cooper and attackers Olaf Kobacki and George Brown on Tuesday due to ongoing injuries.

Youngsters Joel Ndala and Jarvis Thornton may be in line for returns to the starting XI if Pedersen opts to freshen up after a testing away trip at the weekend.

First-choice goalkeeper Pierce Charles was able to return between the sticks on Saturday after an injury layoff, while Yates will continue to lead the line after scoring the second goal of his loan spell at Pride Park.

Watford face injuries of their own, with Hector Kyprianou, Rocco Vata, Othmane Maamma and Kwadwo Baah still sidelined.

Defender Saba Goglichidze is a fresh doubt after being forced off in their last outing, meaning Mattie Pollock may come in to join James Abankwah at the back.

Kjerrumgaard will lead their attack after netting his ninth league goal of the season last time out, with plenty of support coming from the likes of Edo Kayembe, Imran Louza, Giorgi Chakvetadze and Nestory Irankunda.

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Charles; Palmer, Iorfa, Otegbayo; Ndala, Heskey, Ingelsson, Thornton, Adaramola; Lowe, Yates

Watford possible starting lineup:

Selvik; Ngakia, Abankwah, Pollock, Mfuni; Louza, Mendy; Irankunda, Kayembe, Chakvetadze; Kjerrumgaard

We say: Sheffield Wednesday 1-3 Watford

Sheffield Wednesday have shown impressive fight to stay in games in recent weeks, despite their continuing losing run, but we see Watford having too much on Tuesday and leaving with all three points despite a stern test.

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