Brighton v Sheffield Wednesday: The teams, the referee, the odds, player to watch - all you need to know
POSSIBLE TEAMS
BRIGHTON (4-4-2): David Stockdale, Bruno, Lewis Dunk, Shane Duffy, Gaetan Bong, Anthony Knockaert, Dale Stephens, Beram Kayal, Jamie Murphy or Jiri Skalak, Sam Baldock, Glenn Murray
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (4-4-2): Keiren Westwood, Jack Hunt, Tom Lees, Glenn Loovens, Daniel Pudil, Ross Wallace, Sam Hutchinson, Barry Bannan, Adam Reach, Sam Winnall, Fernando Forestieri
FORM GUIDE & BETTING
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Hide AdHISTORY LESSON
When the two sides met earlier in the season, it was Brighton and Hove Albion who ran out 2-1 winners at Hillsborough after strikes either side of half-time by Sam Baldock and Anthony Knockaert. However, the Amex Stadium has been a happy hunting ground for the Owls in recent years. Wednesday are unbeaten in their last four visits, including the 1-1 draw which booked their spot in the Championship Play-Off Final at Wembley last May. Ross Wallace cancelled out Lewis Dunk’s 19th minute opener. You have to go back to to September 2012 for the last time the Seagulls were victorious over the Owls on home turf. Goals from Wayne Bridge, Craig Mackail-Smith and current Owl Will Buckley condemned Wednesday to a 3-0 defeat.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Glenn Murray - The striker rejoined the Seagulls last summer on loan from Bournemouth and is their leading marksman with 15 goals. Murray has found the net in each of their last five home games, scoring a total of seven goals during that sequence.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Stuart Attwell - The former Premier League whistler has taken charge of 16 matches this season, issuing 55 bookings and three red cards. It will be the first time the Warwickshire-based official has overseen an Owls match since their 3-0 victory over Charlton Athletic last March. Attwell was in control of Brighton’s first fixture of 2017.
WHAT THEY SAY
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Hide AdOwls head coach Carlos Carvalhal: “It will be a big challenge of course. But it was a big challenge to us when we went to Huddersfield and Newcastle, who were in the first positions in that moment. I think this one will be the hardest because they have lost just one game since September, they lose their last game but at home they are strong.”
Brighton defender Bruno: “It’s important to react well (to last week's defeat to Preston). We normally react really well after a defeat. I hope we are going to do it on Friday. It’s a good game, it comes at the right time. They are signing a lot of players and trying to get stronger. We know it’s going to be a really tough game, but I believe in the team and that we will have a really good performance."