Sheffield Wednesday v Burton preview
Sunday 31 December 2017 12:09, UK
Sheffield Wednesday look set to be without striker Gary Hooper and defender Joost van Aken once again for the home clash with Burton.
The duo sustained knocks in the Owls' win against Nottingham Forest and sat out Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Brentford.
Lucas Joao dropped to the bench at Griffin Park but came on at the start of the second half and will hope to regain his starting spot.
Caretaker boss Lee Bullen is looking for his side to bounce back against the Brewers, and said: "The good thing about the Championship is there's always another game around the corner. We know what Burton are about, they are fighting for their lives. Nigel Clough will have them well prepared, so we need to be ready for a battle."
Burton boss Nigel Clough has no fresh injury concerns and has given a positive update on long-term absentee Liam Boyce.
Striker Boyce, Albion's club-record signing, could return for the last two months of the season, with Clough telling the official website: "Liam is coming on fantastically well in his rehabilitation and we hope to have him back for the last quarter of the season which would be a big boost.
"We are hoping if everything goes well that he will train from mid-February in view to getting a little outing here and there and by March should be ready to go. That would give him 11 or 12 games."
Marvin Sordell was replaced at half-time of Saturday's goalless draw with Norwich but Clough confirmed it was a tactical decision.
Opta stats
Sheffield Wednesday have never beaten Burton Albion (D2 L1), with all three matches coming in the Championship.
Burton have come from behind to draw 1-1 in each of their last two league matches against the Owls.
The Owls haven't lost three consecutive home league matches since December 2012 (a run of four).
The Brewers have never scored a Football League goal on New Year's Day in three previous attempts, with two matches ending goalless against Shrewsbury (in 2011) and Mansfield (2014), losing the other to York City in 2013.
Wednesday have only lost one of their last 12 home matches in January in all competitions (W7 D4).
Nigel Clough has never lost against Sheffield Wednesday in a league match as a manager (W3 D5).
