Fernando Forestieri returns for Sheffield Wednesday’s televised trip to Cardiff City after serving a six-match suspension. He’ll be a welcome boost for an Owls team hoping to win back to back games in the Championship. Wednesday could temporarily move back to the top of the table if they manage a victory, but they’ll be facing a Cardiff side who are unbeaten at home this season.
Fernando Forestieri Back For Cardiff City v Sheffield Wednesday Clash
Fernando Forestieri Will be a Welcome Option for Garry Monk
Forestieri is back for the Owls having just served a six-match suspension for an allegedly racially abusing Mansfield defender Krystian Pearce. The Argentine will be a welcome addition to the Owls’ frontline, which is overly reliant on top scorer Steven Fletcher. The 32-year-old has netted just under a third of all Wednesday’s league goals this season. Furthermore, his link-up play is vital in spearheading the Owls’ attack.
Forestieri featured in an U23’s match for the Owls this weekend, so he has some minutes of football under his belt. Wednesday fans will be hoping he can return to the form he showed in his first two seasons at Hillsborough. If he can, they’ll have one of the league’s finest attackers on their hands.
Direct Cardiff City Will Be a Big Physical Challenge
Most Championship fans are pretty aware of how Cardiff play. They’re a very direct outfit who will be aggressive and get in opponent’s faces. The Bluebirds average the sixth-highest amount of shots per game in the league, but only Millwall average less possession. It’s a formula that clearly works for them in this division, as they finished second in the Championship two seasons ago.
Meanwhile, Wednesday have struggled to deal with the threat of physical strikers so far this season. Matt Smith, Jordan Hugill and Tom Eaves all scored for Millwall, QPR and Hull respectively against the Yorkshire side. The Owls lost in all three of those matches. Robert Glatzel could cause problems, although it’s worth noting that Wednesday centre-back Julian Borner has been excellent this season.
Furthermore, the Bluebirds have an excellent home record. They’re unbeaten so far at the Cardiff City Stadium, picking up ten points from a possible 12. Only Preston can boast a better record.
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There are reasons for Wednesday fans to fancy their chances in the Welsh capital. Although City are good at home, the Owls have generally travelled pretty well this season – picking up wins at Reading, Huddersfield Town, and an impressive 4-1 victory at Middlesbrough. Their away record is the sixth-best in the Championship. Also, new manager Garry Monk has taken ten points from his first five games in the Hillsborough hot-seat. And from a Wednesday point of view – who better to continue that against than Neil Warnock? A boyhood Blade who managed Sheffield United for eight years, he’s certainly far from a popular figure with the Wednesday faithful.
Prediction
You could make an argument for either of these teams to come away with the spoils, but Cardiff’s excellent home record makes them the slight favorites in this one. It should be a tight contest with the Bluebirds just coming out on top.
Prediction: Cardiff City 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday
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