Owls Vs Swans: Team news

Last updated : 20 March 2009 By C. Morris

Sheffield Wednesday welcome Swansea City to Hillsborough on Saturday as they look to get back to winning ways on home soil.

Wednesday enjoyed an excellent first half of the season on home soil but have struggled of late, winning only one of their last five games at S6.

The signing of Luke Varney on Friday has added to the options that Wednesday have in attack.

With Akpo Sodje and Leon Clarke unlikely to be included due to injury the Owls are expected to start with Marcus Tudgay and Francis Jeffers with Varney on the bench.

In midfield Darren Potter is likely to return following illness but Michael Gray could miss out with a shoulder injury. If this is the case then James O'Connor could partner Potter in central midfield with Sean McAllister reverting to a wide role. The other alternative would be to start with Varney upfront alongside Jeffers and play Tudgay out wide.

With the Owls struggling clean sheets of late Richard Hinds and Frank Simek will hoping to be in contention to start.

The visitors will be without long-term injury victims, influential midfielder Ferrie Bode and full-back Federico Bessone.

Defender Alan Tate will miss out due to an ankle injury picked up last weekend but former Owls loanee Garry Monk made his return to the side against QPR in midweek and is expected to retain his place.

The Swans made a number of changes to the side for the trip to London, including leaving top scorer Jason Scotland on the bench but this resulted in a 1-0 defeat and Scotland is likely to return to the starting eleven.

The Swans play-off push has stuttered of late, having gone undefeated throughout December and January they have won only one of their last six in the league. The draw specialists have taken a point 9 times on the road this season and have won 4 and lost six from 19 away league fixtures.

The 1-1 draw at the Liberty stadium was the first time the sides had met in a competitive fixture in almost 25 years. The last time the Swans visited Hillsborough they were thumped 6-1 back in 1984 and they have never won there in 12 attempts.