In-form Sheffield Wednesday travel to struggling Derby County on Saturday but it is certainly a fixture that the Owls should not be taking lightly. Derby finished in the top 6 last season but have got off to a slow start this time around, a start which recently cost manager Nigel Pearson his job. Steve McLaren has returned to take the reigns and just like when Wednesday faced Cardiff a couple of weeks ago, a new manager and a fresh approach could breathe resurgence into their opponents and Derby are widely expected to start climbing the table in the coming weeks.
Wednesday are waiting on the fitness of keeper Keiren Westwood who has been struggling with a back injury. Carlos Carvalhal is hopeful that his first choice stopper will be fit to play but if not youngster Cameron Dawson, who kept a clean sheet on his first league start last weekend, will deputise.
Other than fellow keeper Joe Wildsmith, and Portuguese pair Lucas Joao and Marco Matias the Owls have a fit squad to choose from. Having played 3 games in the last week Carvalhal may look to freshen the side in one or two positions and if so Ross Wallace and Steven Fletcher could return to the starting 11.
Derby have welcomed defender Jason Shackell and striker Nick Blackman back into training and they will come into contention for selection. George Thorne and James Wilson are still sidelined with injury and midfielder Craig Bryson has picked up a knock in training that will need to be assessed before the game. Fellow midfielder Will Hughes will miss the game as he serves a suspension.
The Owls are in good form having won 4 of their last 6 and after a slow start on the road they are unbeaten in their last 3 away games.
Since the departure of Nigel Pearson, Derby have picked up 8 points from 5 games with their only defeat in that time coming at high-flying Huddersfield last time out.
The two sides played out a pair of well contested draws when they met last season but astonishingly for they Owls they have not beaten Derby in their last 16 meetings dating back to 2006.