Brighton & HA v Sheffield Wednesday: Owls boss Carlos Carvalhal keeping lid on his emotions

For the first time in a good while, the Owls are currently doing it tough, with Carvalhal’s side heading to promotion-chasing rivals Brighton on the back of a four-match winless sequence – complete with a sense of injustice.

Wednesday suffered in the surprise weekend home derby loss to Rotherham United, with an offside flag denying them a first-half ‘goal’ – the latest occasion in which a key decision has gone against them.

It followed Fernando Forestieri’s disputed red card for simulation in the draw with Hull City, with Carvalhal also seething after his talisman striker received his marching orders for similar reasons in his previous appearance against Preston on February 20.

The upshot is that the Owls head south amid their most testing spell since early season with Carvalhal eyeing a break or two on the officiating front.

On his side’s tough recent run at the hands of officials, the Portuguese, who welcomes back Sam Hutchinson tonight, said: “It’s been very hard to us as professionals. We have spent some very hard moments in the past two or four weeks. It’s a reality.

“I am a person who controls his emotions very well. I have a long experience and life in football to understand what we can say to the press.

“I wish too much to say what I have in my heart at this moment. I want to scream everything I have inside of me, but I can’t.

“Because if I do what I want and just say the truth and what I feel, I will be punished from the League and I don’t want to do that because I have a good life, but I am not stupid.

“I cannot do this, so I stay inside (myself). I know the rules of the competition and I can do absolutely nothing.

“I wish to say what I have inside of me, but I can’t.”

On tonight’s game at Brighton, who have lost just once in nine league outings and have won their past four home matches, scoring a combined tally of 12 goals, he added: “What we can control is that we all do our jobs and fight from the first second until the last. We will do that absolutely sure and after, we will see.”

Last six games: Brighton WDLWWD, Sheffield Wednesday WWLDDL.

Referee: D Drysdale (Lincolnshire).

Last time: Brighton 0 Sheffield Wednesday 1; August 9, 2014; Championship.