EFL Championship | Gameweek 43

Apr 18, 2025 at 3pm UK

Bet365 Stadium

Stoke vs Sheff Weds

Match preview

Stoke City return to action on Friday with the chance to all but cement their Championship status for next season, having built up a healthy lead over the relegation zone in recent weeks.

An away defeat to Millwall before the March international break left them in a precarious position at the foot of the table with just 39 points from 38 games, but the Potters have bounced back in style since returning from the final break of the season.

Indeed, Mark Robins' men have gone unbeaten in their last four games, picking up eight points in the process, starting with a 3-1 home win over Queens Park Rangers and draws with Preston North End and Luton Town.

The points were only shared in the second of those draws, thanks to an injury-time equaliser from the visitors, and the Staffordshire outfit returned to winning ways last weekend when they visited 22nd-placed Cardiff City and moved out of the bottom three with a crucial 1-0 win thanks to Will Fish's own goal five minutes from time.

Sitting in 18th place and five points above the relegation zone with just four games remaining, Stoke City head into the Easter weekend knowing that a win would seal their place in next season's Championship and will be looking to get over the line at home on Friday.

The visitors, meanwhile, travel to Staffordshire in the hope of halting their slump before the end of the Championship season.

The 2024-25 campaign was largely an improvement for Sheffield Wednesday, who were in the play-off race on 45 points from 32 games in mid-February, but they have since dropped out of the bottom half in disappointing fashion, adding just eight points to that tally in 10 further attempts.

The Owls lost four of their last six games before the international break in March and then went winless on their return, starting with away draws at Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers before a home defeat to struggling Hull City.

Oxford United then visited Hillsborough on Saturday and left with all three points, Sam Long scoring the only goal 11 minutes from time to condemn Danny Rohl's side to a 17th league defeat of the campaign and a sixth in their last 10 games.

Now out of the play-off race and languishing in 14th place in the Championship, albeit only a point behind Swansea City in the top half, Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to bounce back on Friday and start an improved run of form to end their campaign on a high.

Recent Performance

Stoke City Championship form:WLWDDW

Sheffield Wednesday Championship form:WLDLDL

Team News

Stoke City's injury crisis continues with defenders Josh Wilson-Esbrand, Michael Rose and Enda Stevens all set to join midfielder Sol Sidibe in the treatment room.

Mark Robins is likely to name an unchanged starting XI from the one that beat Cardiff City at the weekend, with Junior Tchamadeu, Ben Wilmot, Ashley Phillips and Eric Bocat likely to continue in a back four after their clean sheet.

January signing Ali Al-Hamadi should again lead the line with support from Jun-ho Bae, Lewis Baker and Million Manhoef, although he will face competition from Sam Gallagher, Lewis Koumas and Andrew Moran.

Sheffield Wednesday will be without defenders Max Lowe and Di'Shon Bernard on Friday due to ongoing injuries, while strikers Olaf Kobacki and Michael Smith and key midfielder and captain Barry Bannan also missed last weekend's defeat at Oxford United.

If Bannan is not deemed fit to return, Stuart Armstrong and Svante Ingelsson will battle it out to join Shea Charles in the centre of a 4-2-3-1 formation, while Akin Famewo will once again partner Michael Ihiekwe at the heart of a back four after returning from his own injury lay-off in recent weeks.

Charlie McNeill, Ibrahim Cissoko and Ike Ugbo will battle for places in attack after Anthony Musaba, Josh Windass and threat Djeidi Gassama supported Callum Paterson last time out.

Possible starting lineup

Stoke City possible starting lineup:

Johansson; Tchamadeu, Wilmot, Phillips, Bocat; Burger, Thompson; Manhoef, Baker, Bae; Al-Hamadi

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

P Charles; Valery, Ihiekwe, Famewo, Johnson; S Charles, Armstrong; Musaba, Windass, Gassama; Ugbo