Wednesday ready to return to winning ways

Sky Bet Championship
Sky Sports Football, 5.30pm Saturday

Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal could not conceal his anger after his team drew 2-2 at home to Hull last Saturday but there are plenty of other big clubs in the Sky Bet Championship with major problems, including Norwich, who are the Owls' opponents at Carrow Road.

Carvalhal feels his players have been on the wrong end of too many refereeing decisions and blew his top after arbiter Mike Jones correctly dismissed a penalty appeal from Wednesday during last weekend's Yorkshire derby.

The real reasons for the dropped points were a combination of poor finishing - Wednesday had 18 shots and scored just twice - and bad defending which allowed Hull defender Michael Dawson the time and space to equalise with a scuffed injury-time volley.

However, like many teams stuck in the middle of the congested table, Wednesday are not far away from being playoff contenders.

Carvalhal's biggest problem is that expectations have risen after successive top-six finishes and they don't look likely to be realised.

Wednesday's situation would become a lot easier if they scored a few more goals.

The club has spent a lot of money enhancing their attacking options but have netted just 25 times in 20 league games.

However, they have banged in seven more than Norwich and look the likelier winners in a match where both teams will feel they have to push for the victory.

Norwich had hoped for a positive season after the bold move to appoint Daniel Farke as manager but they have slipped to 16th after picking up two points from their last seven games.

They are capable of playing spells of excellent football and were outstanding in the first 45 minutes at Cardiff last Friday when establishing a well-deserved 1-0 half-time lead.

However, the Canaries have a soft centre and they melted away after Cardiff levelled the scores with a penalty just after half-time, losing 3-1.

Norwich have matchwinning players in attacking midfielder James Maddison and striker Nelson Oliveira but the Canaries are taking much longer than expected to adjust to Farke's high-pressing tactics and another setback may be on the cards.

Recommendation
Sheffield Wednesday draw no bet
1pt 13-10 Betfair, Hills

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Norwich
Alex Pritchard (ankle) is available but Alex Tettey (calf) and Jamal Lewis (knee) lack match fitness and Marley Watkins, James Husband (both groin), Steven Naismith, Matt Jarvis (both ankle) and Louis Thompson (Achilles) are out.

Sheffield Wednesday
Tom Lees (groin), Fernando Forestieri, Sam Hutchinson (both knee) and George Boyd (shoulder) are unavailable.

Key stat
Norwich have not won any of their last seven home fixtures.

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