Manager of Sheffield Wednesday's relegation battle rivals issues warning ahead of season-defining clash

Birmingham City boss Gary Rowett has been speaking ahead of a game that will have a huge impact on Sheffield Wednesday’s season. Birmingham are preparing to face relegation rivals Huddersfield Town away from home this weekend, with the two sides separated by just two points.

A Birmingham win could relegate Huddersfield if Wednesday pick up just one point this weekend, while if Wednesday win and Birmingham lose, the Blues will no longer be able to catch the Owls. It’s a pivotal fixture in the Championship relegation race, with just one round of fixtures remaining after this weekend.

There will be nerves aplenty, but Birmingham boss Rowett has warned his men they must produce ‘fire’ from the word go on Saturday. "Sometimes as the away team, rather than sit and wait, you have got to go and meet fire with fire,” said Rowett in his pre-match press conference. “You have got to go and make sure you're ready to put your own intensity into the game early on.

"But it is not just about that, it is about having the quality and bravery to keep possession at times. It is about having the discipline and organisation to get the defensive part right because there are two sides to a game. We want to be on the front foot, we want to attack, we don't want to play it like an away game waiting for something to happen."

Birmingham have four points from their last two games, but their draw with relegated Rotherham United last time out will have been a deflating result. Despite that, Rowett is all praise for his team, adding: “They have been brilliant since I came back. I have had an incredible reception. We have had an incredible following in the games. I am disappointed I haven't been able to give them more points at this current moment in time because they deserve it.

"For a team in this situation, to have three out of four home games since I have been here with sell-outs, most of the away games have more or less been sell-outs, and they have been fantastic [the supporters]."