' SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY '

' SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY '


WHAT HAS BEEN THEIR BEST RESULT?
That actually came in the League Cup when Wednesday thumped Arsenal 3-0 at Hillsborough, having previously overcome Newcastle away in the third round. The Gunners team that night contained Cech, Walcott, Giroud, Mertesacker and Flamini, underlining what Wednesday are capable of. Their cup run was ended in round five by Mark Hughes’ Stoke.

In the Championship, take your pick for their best performance from a 4-1 home hammering of Wolves, a 3-0 bashing of Birmingham and a 3-0 triumph away to Nottingham Forest.






AND THEIR WORST?
They’ve had some horrible results. Losing 4-1 at Bristol City a few games ago is right up there, but a 1-0 home loss to Rotherham and a 3-1 loss at relegated Charlton also figure highly.

They were also defeated by MK Dons away 2-1.






WHAT’S THE RECORD AGAINST TOP SEVEN SIDES LIKE CARDIFF?

There is good and bad in this for the Bluebirds.

The good is that of the 11 games played thus far against the sides in and around them in the top seven (Cardiff will make it 12 matches), Wednesday have yet to win a single fixture.

The bad news is that of those 11 clashes, they have drawn eight, losing the other three. A draw on Saturday, of course, will be enough for Wednesday and finish the Bluebirds’ play-off dreams.

THE MANAGER HAS BEEN LINKED WITH SWANSEA

Wednesday’s boss is Carlos Carvalhal, from Portugal, who is highly-rated and insists upon a continetal style of play from his team.

Amongst the clubs he has previously bossed are Besiktas in Turkey and Vitoria Setubal and Maritimo in his homeland.

Carlos Carvalhal
The impressive work Carvalhal has done up at Hillsborough with limited resources hasn’t gone unnoticed in the Premier League.

He has been heavily linked with the Swansea City job should it become vacant this summer, although Carvalhal recently signed a new three-year deal with Wednesday.

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WHO ARE THE MAIN DANGERMEN?

Fernando Forestieri is top scorer with 15 goals. The Italy under-21 international is a quick and mobile front-runner who has played for a number of Italian clubs, before moving to Watford from Udinese in 2012.

Featured in Watford’s promotion-winning team of 2014-15, but slipped down the pecking order and joined the Owls this season for £3m.

He is backed up by Gary Hooper, who has bagged 11 goals this season. Hooper knows how to find the net, striking 63 goals in 95 Celtic appearances. Also played and scored for Norwich in the Premier League.

A FAMILIAR OLD FACE AS SKIPPER

Wednesday’s captain will be afforded a rapturous ovation from the travelling Army of Bluebirds fans because he is a former terrace idol at Ninian Park.

Glenn Loovens was a classy centre-back for the Bluebirds during the Dave Jones era, making more than 100 appearances between 2005-08 before leaving for Celtic.

After four years in Scotland and a brief spell with Real Zaragoza in Spain, he joined Wednesday in 2013 and was named captain last season.

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WHAT’S IN WEDNESDAY’S FAVOUR?

The fact that they only need to draw, will be playing at home in front of a potential capacity Hillsborough crowd and hold a four point cushion over the Bluebirds.

That gap means that even if Cardiff do win, Sheffield Wednesday have an extra game to clinch the top six by winning at Wolves, whatever the result of Cardiff’s final home clash with Birmingham.