Sheffield Wednesday will look to end a disappointing run of form and maintain their spot in the play-off positions when they face fellow top six side Reading at Hillsborough on Friday night.

The Owls have won just one of their last five Championship fixtures – a thumping 5-1 triumph against Norwich City – but Carlos Carvalhal’s men have taken just one point from their previous two fixtures.

The latest of those was a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday – in which defender Vincent Sasso and Carvalhal were both sent off – and following seventh-placed Fulham’s draw with Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday night, the Yorkshire outfit are just a single point ahead of the Cottagers.

Aside from the thrashing of the Canaries, Wednesday have been struggling for goals in recent weeks and it is something that they need to put right sooner rather than later if they are to keep their promotion ambitions alive.

Here are three Sheffield Wednesday player that need to step up against the Royals…

Jordan Rhodes

The striker has always been known as a consistent goalscorer at his level, but even he has somewhat struggled to hit the ground running after joining Wednesday from Middlesbrough on loan during the January transfer window.

The Scot – who will complete a permanent £10m move to Hillsborough in the summer – has netted three times in nine Championship fixtures, with two of those coming in the thrashing of Norwich City.

The Owls need the 27-year-old to rediscover his previous form to keep their promotion hopes alive – starting on Friday.

Sam Winnall

Like Rhodes, Winnall also moved to Hillsborough during the January transfer window, but similarly to his new striking teammate, the former Barnsley man has failed to find the target as often as he – and manager Carlos Carvalhal – would have liked so far.

The 26-year-old has scored just the one solitary goal in 10 Championship appearances for his new side – a stark contrast to the 12 he had previously netted for the Tykes this term – and he needs to rediscover his confidence in front of goal before Wednesday’s play-off dream disappears.

Fernando Forestieri

The Italian is included in this list not because he is short of form, but because he has proved to be his side’s saviour on a number of occasions already this season.

The forward is the Owls’ top goalscorer in the Championship this term with 11 goals –including three in his last five games – and  manager Carlos Carvalhal will be hoping that his key man is fit to start against Reading on Friday night after he missed the defeat to Aston Villa with a knock to his knee.

Do YOU agree, Sheffield Wednesday fans? Let us know below.