Preview: Owls v Derby

Wednesday go into the 'final furlong' of their campaign with two matches in three days over a hectic Easter weekend.

Relegation-threatened Derby County are the visitors to Hillsborough on Saturday before a trip to Q.P.R. is on the cards on Easter Monday.

And Laws and his troops will be keen to make amends for the convincing defeat to the Rams earlier this season when former team-mate Nigel Clough brings his side to S6.

Brian Laws told www.swfc.co.uk:

'Derby will be tough opponents because they still need a couple of results to ensure their place in the Championship for next season.

'They have some good players and we have to be wary about that but we will be focussing on ourselves because Easter is an opportunity for us to win two more games and push further up the table.

'I know Nigel Clough and his assistant Gary Crosby from playing at Nottingham Forest for six years and I have a lot of respect for them but I will not be doing them any favours on Saturday, that is for sure.'

Wednesday will be boosted with the return of a number of players over the weekend but Laws may well have to tinker with his squad given the Owls are facing three matches in two days.

Luke Varney will definitely be missing for Saturday's clash with the Rams as part of his loan deal from Pride Park.

Varney will no doubt be a miss given his top form in his two games in the blue and white stripes so far, but Laws will have fresh options in attack.

Leon Clarke is set to return to the squad following injury, while Akpo Sodje will also be keen to step up his return to full fitness.

Marcus Tudgay and Francis Jeffers will both be keen to start in attack, while winger Etienne Esajas is also set to bolster the squad for the visit of Derby.

Mark Beevers will no doubt be keen to return to the heart of the defence, but Laws could well stick with Richard Hinds at the back given Wednesday have kept two clean sheets on the spin.

Tommy Spurr serves a one-match ban for his sending-off at Norwich, meaning Lewis Buxton could switch to left-back and Hinds could move to right-back, meaning Beevers could return at centre-back.

Tudgay has enjoyed arguably his best season in the famous blue and white stripes since making the switch to S6 from Derby - and he'll be keen to get one over his former clubs.

Former Sheffield United frontman Rob Hulse should get the nod to start for the Rams despite taking a number of knocks in recent weeks.

But striker Chris Porter will still be missing through a hip injury, and former Nottingham Forest man Kris Commons is set to continue his comeback.

Nigel Clough is set to stick with the same squad that fell to a crushing 4-1 defeat at Cardiff City in midweek.

Hulse is a key player for the Rams with his strength, power and finishing abilities, and he'll have an added incentive to score at S6 given his previous career with Sheffield United.

Head-to-Head:

Wednesday wins: 41

erby wins: 42

raws: 33

Last Time Out:

Derby 3-0 Wednesday

Pride Park, 15/11/09

Kris Commons put the Rams in front on the half hour mark as they ran out comfortable winners in the reverse fixture. Miles Addison added a second before Jordan Stewart wrapped the points up with a wonder strike.

Previous Line-Ups:

Wednesday: Grant, Buxton, Hinds, Wood, Spurr, Varney, McAllister, Potter, Johnson (Beevers 88), Tudgay, Jeffers (Sodje 82). Subs Not Used: Esajas, O'Connor, Simek.

Derby: Bywater, Connolly, McEveley, Nyatanga, Albrechtsen (Todd 65), Savage, Sterjovski, Teale, Eustace, Bannan (Commons 64), Hulse (Villa 63). Subs Not Used: Price, Pearson.

v Q.P.R. (A) - 13/04/09

v Southampton (H) - 18/04/09

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