Whisper it quietly, Preston North End's Play-Off bid might just be back on the cards. Results around the Championship at the weekend left the Lilywhites just five points off of sixth placed Cardiff City going into Tuesday night's fixtures, though the Welsh side have a game in hand.
But it was the manner of victory over promotion chasing Nottingham Forest which will have convinced many in the Deepdale camp.
North End 'annihilated' Billy Davies' Nottingham Forest and they will be hoping to give former boss Alan Irvine's Sheffield Wednesday similar treatment.
Victory against the Owls could push the Lilywhites as high as eighth, the highest position the Club will have been since October. A victory would also take them to 50 points, a target many managers aim to achieve to dispell any worries of relegation.
Preston's match against Sheffield Wednesday is their last of three consecutive home games before the tricky trips to West Brom and Middlesbrough.
Preston North End v Sheffield Wednesday
Coca-Cola Championship
Tuesday 16th March 2010
Deepdale
Gaffer's team News
"Jon did a little bit of stuff with the physio and then joined in the finishing at the end with us so as long as there is no reaction, which I don't think there will be, Parky will be back. That's a big, big boost for us because the lad has been in good form and I have got three strikers in form at the moment and I am pleased about that.
"Liam Chilvers will start against Wednesday and I have got no real problem with that, he is very experienced at this level. Youl will be out for just over a week, he's not really torn it [groin], it's quite sore this morning but it won't be a long term one, we are hoping to get him back within ten days."
The Opposition
Alan Irvine took the Owls as high as 19th position after making an immediate impact at Hillsborough in the usual managerial 'honeymoon period'.
Consecutive victories over Barnsley, Blackpool and Peterborough lifted the Yorkshire club away from the relegation zone but three consecutive defeats in February soon sent Wednesday back down the table.
A morale-boosting draw at Swansea on Saturday took the side out of the relegation zone and the Owls head to Deepdale looking for their first league victory at Preston in almost 50 years.
Wednesday could be without midfielder Sean McAllister with a strained stomach muscle and also without defender Lewis Buxton with a hamstring injury.
Opposition Manager
"If somebody is going to come in and give us some money and maybe get some players in, that would be nice.
"I came in knowing there was a possibility of a takeover; I didn't take the job on that basis; I knew it was going to be a case of working with what we had. I was happy to do that.
"If something happens that makes things easier, that would be fantastic."
Former PNE boss Alan Irvine is hoping for some extra cash to spend with a proposed takeover of the Yorkshire club.
Opposition Player
"As far as I know, I can play (on Tuesday), but I'm not 100 per cent sure.
"It will be a bit strange if I do, but it's definitely a game we can get something out of and I'd imagine there will be a bit of banter - I'm looking forward to it.
"I'm enjoying it at Wednesday, although I'm just concentrating on winning this fight against relegation at the minute - then we'll see what happens in the summer."
On loan defender Eddie Nolan is looking forward to facing his parent club.
Head-to-Head
PNE's all time record against Wednesday W40 D22 L37
PNE's home record against Wednesday W27 D13 L10
Last Meeting
Sheffield Wednesday 1 Preston North End 2
(Gray 38; Mellor 20, Parkin 55)
Tuesday 20th October 2009
Coca-Cola Championship
Hillsborough
PNEBetting.com Odds
Preston 10/11 Draw 12/5 Wednesday 3/1
PNEBetting.com Selected Bet
Neil Mellor to score first in a 3-1 win - 50/1.
PNE Player
Matt Hardman will be joined by Colin Murdock for full match commentary of tonight's match on PNE Player. Sign up now for our 14-day free trial.
Any Other Business?
It's almost 50 years to the day since Sheffield Wednesday's last league victory at Deepdale - a 4-3 win on 19th March 1960. Coincidentally Nottingham Forest also had not won a league match at Deepdale since 1960.
