Steel City derby looks too close to call

Sky Bet Championship
Sky Sports Football & Main Event, 7.45pm Friday

Jos Luhukay kicked off his reign as Sheffield Wednesday manager in January by achieving an unexpected 0-0 draw away to Sheffield United and the Dutchman can achieve a similar result in this week's Steel City derby, silencing talk of him being forced out of the club.

United go into the game as odds-on favourites, as they were for last season's corresponding fixture.

But Sheffield derbies do not always conform to the formbook and markets may have underestimated Wednesday's chances of avoiding defeat and drawing a line under a four-match losing streak.

The Owls have slipped from sixth to 17th since the October international break and talk of a promotion push has been replaced by fears of relegation.

But the margins between success and failure in the Sky Bet Championship are extremely tight, and a shock win for Wednesday would lift them to within four points of the top six.

United have an even bigger incentive – knowing three points will take them back to the top of the division – but recent results and performances have been inconsistent.

Chris Wilder's side have taken four points from their last four games and lacked their usual energy and fluency when losing 1-0 at Nottingham Forest last Saturday.

• Sky Bet Championship standings

Part of the problem has been the absence of attacking midfielder Mark Duffy, who has missed the last two games with a hip injury.

Duffy is back in training and seems likely to be brought straight back in with one of the three central midfielders – Paul Coutts, Oliver Norwood and John Fleck – making way.

The switch should give United a better balance but they may still find it difficult to break down Wednesday, who will be determined to show some resilience in a match which means so much to their supporters.

The Owls lost 4-0 at home to Norwich last Saturday, conceding all four goals in the second half, and Luhukay may consider a change of tactics and personnel to put things right.

Prior to the international break he was using a back three and it worked extremely well with Wednesday picking up 2-1 away wins at Aston Villa and Bristol City.

Injuries to defenders and a loss of confidence in centre-back Tom Lees were part of the reason he switched to a back four but Lees has started the last two games and there were alternative defensive options last weekend with Michael Hector and Jordan Thorniley on the bench.

Matching Sheffield United's three-man defence is what they did in the January derby and it worked a treat in a fixture which was fiercely-contested and lacked clear-cut chances.

Another tight, frenzied encounter is on the cards and the draw looks overpriced.

Recommendation
Draw
1pt 57-17 188Bet

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Sheffield United
Chris Basham is available after suspension and Mark Duffy (hip) could return after missing the last two games.

Sheffield Wednesday
Joost Van Aken (ankle) is closing in on full fitness and Fernando Forestieri (hamstring) could make the squad but Sam Winnall (hamstring), Gary Hooper (groin) and Kieran Lee (knee) are out.

Key stat
Three of the last five Bramall Lane clashes between the Sheffield sides have been drawn.

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