Barry Bannan is playing the playmaker role excellently for Wednesday so far - he's at the centre of everything they're doing going forward.

The Scotland international has never been the most mobile but EFL followers know what he's capable of with the ball at his feet.

It's a beautiful early evening in South Yorkshire, and it's Wednesday who are continuing to win several set-pieces.

Each time they're putting the ball into the Cardiff box and it's proving difficult to deal with.

We knew set-pieces were likely to be a big part of this game and so it's proved, already.

Victory would take Wednesday to within six points of safety, while Cardiff would be eight points from an unlikely play-off spot.

Cardiff's Will Vaulks launches a long throw into the Wednesday box from deep.

I have a feeling we're going to see a lot of that this evening.

The football may not be the prettiest but it should be a thrilling watch nonetheless.

We're off and running.

The afternoon's results went against both teams, but now they have the chance to do the business themselves.

Both have something on the line so it promises to be a match high on effort and tension.

Cardiff had been surging up the table but Friday's 1-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest means they have just one win from their past five matches.

The Bluebirds have only scored twice in those games, halting their momentum as they chase a play-off place.

However the Bluebirds are unbeaten away in 2021 and boss Mick McCarthy has never lost in nine league visits to Hillsborough.

Sheffield Wednesday make one change from Friday's defeat by Watford, Liam Palmer coming in for Joey Pelupessy.

Tom Lees is fit to start while keeper Keiren Westwood returns to the bench.

Wales midfielder Jonny Williams makes his first Cardiff start, with Harry Wilson dropping to the bench.

Sheff Wed: Wildsmith, Urhoghide, Lees, Börner, Palmer, Bannan, Paterson, Hutchinson, Reach, Rhodes, Windass

Subs: Westwood, Brennan, Hunt, Pelupessy, Brown, Harris, Green, Shaw, Kachunga

Cardiff: Phillips, Sang, Nelson, Flint, Brown, Ralls, Pack, Vaulks, Bacuna, Williams, Moore

Subs: Smithies, Ng, Colwill, Hoilett, Wilson, Ojo, Harris, Watters

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield Wednesday have improved of late but they've fallen to the bottom of the Championship after Wycombe's win at Rotherham.

Nine points from safety, they desperately need points if they are to stay up, especially at home - after a run of five straight wins at Hillsborough, they are winless in four on home turf.

The Owls are once again without manager Darren Moore as he continues to self-isolate after testing positive for coronavirus last week.

Assistant Jamie Smith will take charge of the side and points are now far more important than any gutsy performances.

Right, time to switch our attention to Hillsborough where Sheffield Wednesday take on Cardiff City. Big game for both sides.

James Law will take you through that one from 17:30 BST, but first a bit of team news and build up...

Norwich and Watford are miles clear at the top of the division, so the play-off race now appears to be between Brentford, Swansea, Barnsley, Reading and Bournemouth.

Three points for Cardiff at Sheffield Wednesday later and they'll feel they still have a shot at making the top six.

Image source, .

They may still need a miracle to avoid an instant return to League One, but Wycombe's 3-0 win at Rotherham today has at least taken them off the bottom of the table.

What heart from Gareth Ainsworth's side.

Coventry are also the big winners today, moving seven points clear of the drop zone with their 3-1 victory over Bristol City.

Image source, .

• Bolton fall out of the automatic promotion places after their first defeat in 15 games at play-off chasing Newport - Nicky Maynard with the only goal
• Leaders Cambridge draw 1-1 at promotion rivals Tranmere, with second-placed Cheltenham held by the same scoreline at bottom side Grimsby
• Strugglers Colchester and Barrow draw 1-1 to edge further clear of the relegation zone
• Conor McAleny scores twice as Oldham win 4-1 at Crawley

Image source, Rex Features

• Leaders Hull ease past lowly Northampton 3-0 to move three points clear at the top
• Second-placed Peterborough draw 1-1 with Sunderland, in third, as Aiden McGeady scores a fine free-kick to equalise for the Black Cats
• Joey Barton's Bristol Rovers are only in the relegation zone on goal difference after their 2-1 win over Doncaster - Luke McCormick scoring both of the goals
• Danny Cowley continues his 100% start as Portsmouth boss with a 1-0 victory at Wigan
• Bottom side Rochdale draw with Ipswich, fellow strugglers AFC Wimbledon and Swindon lose

Image source, Getty Images

• Wycombe thrash fellow strugglers Rotherham 3-0, to send Sheffield Wednesday bottom of the table going into their evening kick-off against Cardiff.
• Barnsley pick up a sixth straight away win, at Luton, to boost their play-off hopes in a 2-1 win
• Reading and Bournemouth both win, beating Derby 3-1 and Blackburn 2-0 respectively, but Swansea lose ground, in their 1-0 defeat by Preston
• Nottingham Forest continue their home hoodoo over QPR with a 3-1 win.
• Millwall win 2-1 at Stoke, while Coventry beat Bristol City 3-1.
• Middlesbrough and Watford shared the points in the early kick-off.

Wycombe are off the bottom of the Championship!

It's just their second win out of their last 14 away league games and Gareth Ainsworth's side now sit eight points from safety.

Rotherham have lost each of their last five home league games.

Image source, Rex Features

Huge win for Reading, as the Championship's top-six chasers all win.

Michael Olise, George Puscas and Lucas Joao all net, with Tom Lawrence in reply.

The Royals are just a point above Bournemouth, who have a game in hand...

Millwall keep their faint play-off hopes alive.

For Stoke, another season in the Championship beckons.

A massive three points for Coventry in their survival mission.

They are now seven points clear of the drop zone.

The Cherries maintain their play-off push with a third straight league win. They stay seventh and a point behind sixth-placed Reading.

Rovers, meanwhile, are now winless in their last seven home league games.