Preview: Barnsley v Owls

Brian Laws will be exhorting his Wednesday squad to ignore takeover rumour and innuendo and concentrate on football, in an effort to continue the good work of recent weeks and once again push on out of the relegation positions.

Solid at home, Barnsley will be a tough proposition as local rivalries resurface and their attention returns to the League after FA Cup success. What is sure to be a large travelling support will make its voice heard and try to tip the scales in the Owls favour.

Brian Laws told www.swfc.co.uk : 'Barnsley have had a super season and have done fantastically well in the FA Cup. Their thoughts will be solely on the derby match, but I just believe their players could drift away about the Chelsea match coming up. Maybe if they take their eyes off the ball it will give us an extra chance.'

Lewin Nyatanga told www.barnsleyfc.co.uk : 'As a team we believe that we really should be a lot higher up the table but the league does not lie and we have not been consistent, particularly away from Oakwell. We know that if we play to our ability on Saturday than we have players in our team who can win the game'.

Barnsley boss Simon Davey told barnsleyfc.co.uk : 'We have to make sure the players get their rest and recuperation in but we are right back at it and focussed on Sheffield Wednesday. We have two big games coming up this week and there will be no talk of the cup game until after then. I am sick of it at the moment and we have more important things to focus on.'

Barnsley will go into the game without the crocked Anderson de Silva but will have Michael Coulson, Daniel Nardiello and Rob Kozluk returning. Dennis Souza is suspended.

The FA Cup's Player of the Round for the 5th round of matches goes into this game with tremendous confidence and accolades from Barnsley fans and management alike. His super saves sent Liverpool out.. let's hope he'll be tested on Saturday.

Adding further to the Owls injury woe, Lee Bullen will be out for four weeks due to a hamstring tear. Tommy Spurr should return to the back four after illness, with Hinds in for Bullen. Flying winger Jermaine Johnson serves a ban after his fifth booking with Burton O'Brien hopeful of replacing him. Up front, it should be two from three of Tudgay, Showunmi and Sahar, assuming Enoch has recovered from his knock last week.

No coincidence that Woody's return to the side means the Owls are much more secure in front of goal, with clean sheets vs. Charlton and Cardiff. Keep up the good work!

Form Guide:

Wednesday: W-L-L-L-D-W

Barnsley: W-L-W-L-L-D

Last time out:

Wednesday 1 Barnsley 0

Akpo Sodje's second half strike was the difference between the teams in a tight game at Hillsborough on November 27th.

Previous line ups:

Barnsley: Steele, Foster, Nyatanga, Souza, Van Homoet, Campbell-Ryce, Hassell, Howard, Devaney (Leon 68), Macken, Ferenczi (Odejayi 60). Subs Not Used: Togwell, Ricketts, Potter.

Sheff Wed: Grant, Bullen (Hinds 26), Gilbert, Beevers, Wood, Kavanagh, Johnson (Sahar 73), Small, Bolder, Showunmi (Burton 86), Tudgay. Subs Not Used: O'Brien, Wallwork.

v WBA (A) - 04/03/08, 19:45

v QPR (H) - 08/03/08, 15:00

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