Preview: Exeter City vs. Sheffield Wednesday - prediction, team news, lineups

After a draw away at Derby County last weekend, the visitors sit third in the League One table, just a single point outside of the automatic promotion spots, while their hosts sit 11th following their promotion last season.

Match preview

After winning promotion back to League One last season, Exeter City have enjoyed a commendable start to the campaign and currently sit 11th in their first term in the third tier since 2012.

Promotion-winning manager Matt Taylor departed the club at the beginning of October, and Gary Caldwell would step into the hot seat later in the month, with the Grecians sat on 21 points from 15 league outings, but they have only managed to add five more points to that tally in five league games under his control.

Following a draw with Derby County and a defeat to Plymouth Argyle, the new manager oversaw a first third-tier triumph in mid-November, as they eventually beat Peterborough United 3-2 thanks to a Sam Nombe equaliser late on and a 91st-minute winner from Jevani Brown, but they have since been unable to build on that impressive result.

The Grecians would then lose 2-0 at home to Ipswich Town before being thrashed 4-1 and dumped out of the FA Cup by Oxford United, and they most recently travelled to Morecambe last weekend, eventually leaving with a point from a 1-1 draw as Josh Key drew them level in the first half.

While they should still be content with their current position in 11th spot, five points outside of the playoff places, Exeter will be keen to turn their form around after a tough spell in recent weeks, but they face another tough test on Saturday against one of the league's frontrunners.

Sheffield Wednesday come into the contest hoping to break into the automatic promotion spots in League One, having kept within touching distance of leaders Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town throughout the season thus far.

After falling short in the playoff semi-finals last time around, Darren Moore's side have enjoyed a strong first half to the new campaign, picking up 12 victories and 41 points from their first 20 games in England's third tier.

Following consecutive disappointing draws, the Owls would stretch a league unbeaten run to seven matches with three wins on the bounce, most recently beating Shrewsbury Town 1-0 thanks to Mark McGuinness's goal, before facing the tricky test of a trip to Derby County last weekend.

Now boasting the league's joint-tightest defensive record, with only 16 goals conceded, Moore's men were able to keep the Rams at bay but could not find a winner with the contest ending as a stalemate, but with Plymouth and Ipswich also failing to pick up three points in their matches, Sheffield Wednesday remain a single point outside of the top two and two points off the summit.

They will look to finally move into the automatic promotion places on Saturday with a 13th league triumph of the campaign to continue their eye-catching run of form in the fight to climb back to the Championship.

Exeter City League One form:

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Exeter City form (all competitions):

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Sheffield Wednesday League One form:

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Sheffield Wednesday form (all competitions):

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Team News

Jevani Brown is set to come into the Exeter City front line from the outset on Saturday, having enjoyed a stellar start to the campaign with a league-high tally of eight assists while only two players in England's third tier top his nine league goals.

Sam Nombe is another threat going forward, having hit the net eight times and contributed six assists thus far, with Josh Key and Jay Stansfield likely battling for the final spot up front.

Archie Collins has been a relative mainstay in midfield throughout the first half of the season, and he should again be joined by Harry Kite in the engine room in Caldwell's 3-4-3 setup.

Key defender Ben Heneghan remains sidelined for Sheffield Wednesday, while Michael Ihiekwe also missed the trip to Derby last weekend, leaving Liam Palmer and Reece James to join Cardiff City loanee Mark McGuinness in a back three, while Dominic Iorfa appears to be taking up a new wing-back role.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Will Vaulks could again join talismanic captain Barry Bannan in midfield, in the absence of George Byers, unless Moore opts to bring in another attacking player after Saturday's stalemate.

Summer signing Michael Smith should keep his place up front, leaving the likes of Lee Gregory, Josh Windass, Alex Mighten and Mallik Wilks to fight for the other spots.

Exeter City possible starting lineup:

Blackman; Sweeney, Diabate, Hartridge; Caprice, Collins, Kite, Grounds; Nombe, Brown, Key

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Stockdale; Palmer, McGuinness, James; Iorfa, Vaulks, Bannan, Johnson; Mighten, Windass; Smith

We say: Exeter City 1-2 Sheffield Wednesday

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