Sheffield Wednesday vs Derby preview
Friday 23 November 2018 12:55, UK
Sheffield Wednesday striker Fernando Forestieri will be back in contention for the home game against Derby.
Forestieri has been sidelined since early October due to a hamstring injury, but is expected to be included in Jos Luhukay's squad. Forward Marco Matias is also available. He stepped off the bench in the goalless derby draw with Sheffield United before the international break following his own hamstring problem.
Striker Steven Fletcher will be assessed after featuring in both Scotland's games last week, while Josh Onomah returned from England Under-21s duty unscathed.
Derby will be without both Craig Forsyth and Mason Bennett after they sustained long-term injuries in the recent home defeat to Aston Villa. Scotland left-back Forsyth damaged his left anterior cruciate ligament and forward Bennett sustained a hamstring injury.
Boss Frank Lampard will assess Mason Mount (ankle), Martyn Waghorn (hamstring) and Craig Bryson (calf) after they all missed the defeat to Villa. Summer signing George Evans remains unavailable, but is closing in on his return after a long-term hip problem.
Opta stats
Sheffield Wednesday have won just two of their last 18 league games against Derby (D6 L10), however those two victories have come in the most recent three meetings (2-1 in April 2017 and 2-0 in February 2018).
Derby are winless in their last four league trips to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday (D2 L2), losing each of the last two in this run.
Sheffield Wednesday are looking for their first home win in the Championship since August (2-1 v Ipswich), having drawn three and lost two of their last five there. Only Ipswich (0) have won fewer home games than the Owls (2) in the competition in 2018-19.
Derby are on the Championship's longest current run of games without keeping a clean sheet (9), while they've managed just three in 17 games in the competition this season.
Sheffield Wednesday have scored the most goals from outside the box of any team in the Championship this season (9), while they also have the highest percentage of their goals from outside the box (43%).
Derby striker Jack Marriott has been directly involved in seven goals in his last seven appearances in all competitions (five goals and two assists).
Prutton's prediction
David Prutton predicts: 1-2 (8/1 with Sky Bet)
