Source: Northern_Echo
Match Preview: Middlesbrough v Sheffield Wednesday
MIDDLESBROUGH Jones Hoyte Wheater McManus Naughton Robson Williams Arca O'Shea McDonald Killen[LNB] Varney Tudgay Soares Clarke O'Connor Potter Nolan Beevers Purse Spurr Grant SHEFF WED[LNB] Boro subs (from): Lita, Coyne (gk), Grounds, Bennett, Pilatos, Franks, Miller, Taylor. Sheff Wed subs (from): Hinds, Buxton, Simek, Gray, Esajas, ODonnell[LNB] BORO: Gary O'Neil remains unlikely to play after a failure to reach an agreement with Portsmouth over the £1m fee due if he makes one more appearance. Andrew Taylor should return to the squad after recovering from a stomach muscle injury, but Justin Hoyte and Kyle Naughton are likely to retain their places in the team. Suspensions: None Injuries: Aliadiere (toe), Pogatetz (knee), Flood (ankle), Hines (knee), McMahon (ankle), Bates (knee) Leading league scorer: McDonald 16 (2 for Boro) Last five League games: WDDWD Next game: West Brom (a), 17/4[LNB] SHEFF WED: The Owls are looking for Jermaine Johnson and Lewis Buxton to boost their chances at the Riverside, with both edging closer to fitness after injuries. Manager Alan Irvine could choose not to risk either though ahead of next Sunday's Sheffield derby, particularly Buxton who has not trained in the last two days. Suspensions: None Injuries: Buxton (hamstring), Johnson (hamstring), Miller (calf) Leading league scorer: Tudgay, Varney 9 Last five League games: LDDWD Key player: Darren Purse - a strong defender, but he has scored two own goals in the past for Boro. Last season: N/A Head to head: Boro 36, Wednesday 39, draws 14 Referee: Jon Moss (Leeds) G32 Y108 R8 Av: 3.62 Last Boro game: v Peterborough (h) 13/2/10, 1-0, Y2 R0 Odds: H 8/11; A5/2; D9/2 It's a fact: Middlesbrough have not lost at home to Sheffield Wednesday since the New Year's defeat in 1991, with Boro winning the last four of six. Comment by Paul Fraser: The Owls will be desperate, but so are Middlesbrough who should have too much in their attempts to boost play-off hopes. Prediction: 3-1[LNB]
