Owls need 3 points before international break

Last updated : 04 November 2016 By C. Morris

Sheffield Wednesday play host to Ipswich Town on Saturday with both team in need of a confidence boosting win for different reasons ahead of the international break. The Owls will be looking to move back into the top 6 after a setback last week while Ipswich find themselves in an unfamiliar position in the bottom half of the Championship with the pressure mounting on boss Mick McCarthy.

The Owls have received a double boost ahead of the fixture with the news that striker Steven Fletcher and goalkeeper Keiren Westwood should both be available for selection. Westwood has been sidelined with a back injury recently and Fletcher suffered yet another blow to the head in last Saturday's defeat at Derby.

Ipswich are without long-term injury sufferers Tommy Smith, Luke Hyam, Brett Pitman and former Wednesday midfielder Giles Coke but they have no new injury or suspension problems to report and could welcome back left-back Jonas Knudsen.

The Owls lost last time out at Derby but have won 6 of their last 10 and have won 5 of 7 at Hillsborough.

Ipswich left it late to rescue a point against lowly Rotherham last weekend and have only won 1 of their last 8 games and they have just 1 win from 7 games on the road this season.

The Owls have a poor recent record at home to Ipswich having not beaten them in the last 7 attempts at Hillsborough though 5 of those games have resulted in draws. Wednesday also have a bad record against sides managed by Mick McCarthy having not beaten one of his teams in around a dozen games against them.