Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday - opposition view: Steve Bruce resurgence, key injury doubts and why Elland Road is a must win

Leeds United host Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday evening at Elland Road in the Championship - but what do you need to know about the Owls?

We asked Sheffield Star reporter Nancy Frostick for the inside track on Steve Bruce's men ahead of the clash in LS11, here's what you need to know:

Sheffield Wednesday head coach Steve Bruce.placeholder image
Sheffield Wednesday head coach Steve Bruce.

What can Leeds expect from Wednesday?

Leeds should expect to face a team that are hungry for points and have learned to win by any means.

Everything is riding on this result for Wednesday - their season is already pretty much over but if they are to keep any faint hope of reaching the play-offs alive, they have to get all three points.

From the outside looking in it looks like Steve Bruce has had a major impact at Hillsborough already - but what and how has he turned Wednesday around?

Obviously Wednesday had to wait for him to arrive, so a few changes happened under the caretaker managers Lee Bullen and Steve Agnew.

Experienced players that had been frozen out under Jos Luhukay are back (most notably Keiren Westwood and Sam Hutchinson) and there's a unity about the squad.

Wednesday are also a much more secure defensive unit and are more confident too.

Who is Wednesday's star man?

Steven Fletcher.

He's been Wednesday's main source of goals but also really leads the line by holding the ball up and bringing those around him into play. He's the poster boy for 'big man with good feet' too.

Are there any key absences in the team?

Barry Bannan, Rolando Aarons and Dominic Iorfa all missed Wednesday's last match against Nottingham Forest with injury and will be doubts for Saturday.

Sam Hutchinson was also out but with illness, so should be ready in time for the weekend.

One player to watch...

He made his return from injury off the bench on Tuesday night - the Newcastle loan man has got a lovely left foot and reads the game really well.

Is there anything else we should look out for?

It doesn't need saying but Wednesday could do Sheffield United a massive favour on Saturday if they win, which is an interesting dynamic for two clubs that hate each other so much...

Score prediction...

I think it'll be close, but maybe too much of an ask for Wednesday at this stage of the season.

So, a 2-1 win for Leeds.

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