Preview: Coventry v Owls

The 'relegation six pointers' are coming thick and fast for Wednesday, with another crucial clash against Coventry City on the cards on Saturday.

Wednesday are one of the form sides in the Championship of late, thanks to two consecutive wins which have seen the climb out of the bottom three.

The Sky Blues have also received a boost with the coming of Chris Coleman as manager following the sacking of Iain Dowie, and will be keen to bounce back from the midweek defeat to Sheffield United.

Brian Laws told the official SWFC site:

'I will express to the players; don't you ever think that the pressure is off, it's more intense than ever.'

'The fact that we have got out of the bottom three doesn't mean we can take our foot off the gas. In fact, what we have got to do is work even harder because it is as hard to stay out of that bottom three as it is to get out of it in the first place.

'Lets hope we continue in the same vein. I have every confidence in the players, their attitudes have been first class, players are coming back into form.'

Chris Coleman told the official CCFC site:

'This is going to be an absolute monster game on Saturday for obvious reasons. It's a game I'm very much looking forward to, I love the big games, I did as a player and if you don't enjoy these games when the pressure is at its highest, and it will be, you're in the wrong game.

'We've got to keep doing what we're doing, we've improved immensely over the last three games and we have to keep that up.

'We've got to be mentally very tough. We're playing against a team who have just had a good run of results and they'll have done their homework on us.

'They will want to leave the Ricoh with something and we have to be prepared for whatever they throw at us. They might come and attack us from the start or they might sit back a bit and play for a point but we have to be ready for whatever and play the way we know we can.'

Coventry boss Coleman will be keeping a close check on his squad after his charges picked up a number of knocks in the defeat to the Blades in midweek.

But there will be one new face in his starting eleven at least with new loan signing Kasper Schmiechel set to make his debut between the sticks after arriving from Manchester City.

Former Owls loanee and target Leon Best will undergo a late fitness test alongside Stephen Hughes, Michael Mifsud and Scott Dann, but Coleman is confident all four will be fit and available.

The former Owls loanee will undergo a late fitness test but is likely to line-up against his former club - and will be desperate to continue his fine form to help fire the Sky Blues to an all-important three points.

Wednesday boss Brian Laws is all set to name the same squad that picked up impressive victories over QPR and Colchester last week, with no fresh injury or suspension concerns.

Adam Bolder will be available for selection after serving a two-match ban, but Jermaine Johnson will still be on the sidelines as he sits out the third of his four-match ban following his sending off against West Brom.

Frank Simek, Steve Watson and Francis Jeffers all made appearances in the reserve team win over York in midweek, but Saturday's clash will prove too early for a return.

The Owls hitman has been in indifferent form this season, but he return from the bench against QPR to bag the winning goal, and continued his form with a goal against Colchester in midweek. His performance alongside Marcus Tudgay could prove vital for the Owls on Saturday.

Current Form:

Coventry: L-W-D-L-L

Wednesday: W-W-L-D-W

Head-To-Head:

Coventry wins: 29
Wednesday wins: 27
Draws: 20

Last Time Out:

Wednesday 2-1 Coventry

Saturday, April 21 2007

Marcus Tudgay and Steve Maclean grabbed the goals that helped Wednesday continue their fine form and give them a long-shot at the play-offs - Michael Mifsud responded for the Sky Blues.

Previous Line-Ups:

Coventry: Marshall, Dann, Ward, Osbourne, Fox, Tabb, Stephen Hughes, Doyle, Thornton, Mifsud, Best. Subs Not Used: Ireland, Hall, Andrews, Simpson, Gray.

Wednesday: Grant, Hinds, Beevers, Wood, Spurr, Songo'o (Showunmi 86), Kavanagh, McAllister, Small (O'Brien 90), Tudgay, Burton. Subs Not Used: Burch, Wallwork, Boden.

v Crystal Palace (H) - 22/03/08

v Stoke City (H) - 29/03/08

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