Owls aiming to keep pressure on Pearce

Last updated : 09 January 2015 By C. Morris

Sheffield Wednesday make the short trip to the City Ground on Saturday as they look to maintain their position inside the top ten in the Championship table and stay above their hosts.

The Owls squad will include Chelsea youngster Lewis Baker and the midfielder will be hoping to make his debut. Sam Hutchinson is close to a return to fitness and could be included in the squad but defender Kamil Zayatte is away on international duty.

Kieran Westwood could return in goal after missing the F.A. Cup game last weekend with a minor injury and Chris Maguire will be hoping for a recall having only been on the bench at the Etihad Stadium. Left-back Joe Mattock remains sidelined and Claude Dielna's fitness will be assessed after he was substituted late on last weekend. Jeremy Helan is likely to revert to left-back if Dielna is unavailable.

Forest will be without Henri Lansbury through suspension and playmaker Andy Reid is carrying a groin injury. Former Owls winger Michail Antonio should be in the starting line-up but ex-Owls loan striker Matty Fryatt is not expected to feature due to injury. Centre-back Michael Mancienne is also out and fellow defender Kelvin Wilson faces a late fitness test.

When Forest beat Wednesday 1-0 at Hillsborough in late August they were top of the league and expected to make a sustained promotion challenge. 2 wins in their last 19 matches has seen them drop well off the pace and manager Stuart Pearce is under increasing pressure as a result.

The Owls suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat at Premier League Champions Manchester City last Sunday but they have won their last 2 league games and are 3 points above Forest in the table. Stuart Gray's side surrendered a 2-goal lead to draw 3-3 at the City Ground last season and prior to that they have lost on their 4 previous visits to Forest with their last win at the City Ground occurring back in 2001.