Sheffield Wednesday v Birmingham preview: Sam Hutchinson available after suspension
Friday 10 February 2017 19:48, UK
Sam Hutchinson will be available for Sheffield Wednesday after a two-game suspension when they host Birmingham, live on Sky Sports 1 HD and Sky Sports Mix from 7pm on Friday.
The midfielder was sent off late on for the Owls during their 2-1 defeat to Brighton towards the end of last month, but is back in contention for the visit of the Blues.
Both sides have been suffering from a dip in form in recent weeks, with Wednesday winning just two of their last seven games, but remain in the final play-off spot - two points ahead of Norwich.
"We are winning points, not looking too much to the performance and to other things because I know, because I am the leader of the boat, what happened with my gladiators," manager Carlos Carvalhal told the club's website.
"You need to win points when you feel your boat is in the storm, it's good that in the storm we are going in the right direction - even though you may sway right and then left, you are still going where you need to be."
Gianfranco Zola won his first game as Birmingham boss last weekend as the Blues beat Fulham 1-0, with the former Chelsea striker aiming to win again on Friday.
"We won a game but it's not the end of it and we need to make sure we keep winning with more regularity and moving forwards - the focus already has to be on the next game," he told the Birmingham Mail.
"We are not paid to win one game, we are paid to win many of them and the one that we are playing against Sheffield Wednesday is one of them and very important."
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Steven Fletcher will miss the trip to Hillsborough as he also serves the final game of a three-match ban for a sending off in the same Brighton game as Hutchinson.
Glenn Loovens, Tom Lees and Gary Hooper are all doubts for Wednesday, although Morgan Fox could make his home debut.
Michael Morrison is a certain omission for Birmingham after undergoing a hernia operation this week with fellow defender Ryan Shotton also out with a groin injury.
Jacques Maghoma will also miss out after picking up a knee injury, but the rest of the squad should be available for selection.
Prutton's prediction
This feels like a home win. Birmingham finally got the monkey off their back under Zola but I just think Wednesday have got that extra impetus after adding Jordan Rhodes.
Perhaps there's a question mark over the fitness of Tom Lees in defence and Birmingham will take confidence from that win, but Wednesday at home will be too strong.
PRUTTON PREDICTS: 2-1
