Sheffield Wednesday

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Sheffield Wednesday beat Stoke 2-0 despite playing the whole of the second half with 10 men after Di'Shon Bernard's red card.

Manager Danny Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield: "I am very happy with the three points. Big credit to my team, it was a little bit of a strange week but we stick together and showed big character today - we showed the togetherness we need.

"My team has a strong mentality, willingness, we want to take points. 32 points after 22 games is massive. First half I felt we controlled the game but then the reaction from the team (after the red card) was great.

"I am very happy with the assist from Yan Valery, we have four or five players who overcame illness overnight, it's a good story with Callum Paterson who scored - for him it's not always easy but he is always trying, it was great to see him score."

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Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Josh Windass believes a bit of extra help from the supporters could help them improve their home form.

The Owls have the fifth worst home record in the Championship with just one win from their past seven matches at Hillsborough as they prepare to host Stoke City on Saturday.

"We're getting booed off quite a bit at half-time even when we're playing quite well - the ground seems a bit edgy for some reason," Windass told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"I'm not going to blame the fans for the reason we're not doing well at home - that's on us and we need to get results and play the same as we're playing away."

Wednesday's struggles at home are in stark contrast to their fortunes on the road where they have won five out of six games including the past three in a row which has helped them climb up to ninth place.

"The expectations at a club like this are a lot - subconsciously they're higher than we are so you expect to be winning your home games," added Windass.

"The club had so much success historically so the fans expect to win games against teams they see as inferior but at the same time there has to be some realism about where we were last year and how we're doing at the minute - their extra 5% help could help us win more home games."

Sheffield Wednesday have won five of their past six away games to climb up to ninth in the table, but they return to Hillsborough on Saturday, where they have won just one of their past seven matches.

Visitors Stoke are winless in their past seven games and have just one victory in eight on their travels, albeit an eye-catching 2-0 success at Blackburn on 6 November.

The Potters have slipped to 17th, just five points above the relegation zone.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost just two of their last 12 league games against Stoke City (W4 D6), though five of their past six home matches in that spell have finished in draws.

• Stoke have failed to win any of their last four league games against sides from Yorkshire (D2 L2) last enduring a longer run of seven games between February and October 2019, which included a 1-0 away loss to Wednesday.

• Wednesday have failed to win any of their past three home league games (D2 L1) and could record their second 4+ matches winless run at Hillsborough in 2024.

• Stoke have failed to win any of their last seven league games (D4 L3), conceding exactly two goals in each of their past four matches.

• In the Championship this season, Stoke have faced the most shots (345), while only Plymouth (121) and Luton (115) have faced more shots on target than the Potters.

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Having faith in every department of the team is a big factor in Sheffield Wednesday's stunning away form, says Jamal Lowe.

The forward scored the second goal in the Owls' 3-1 win at Oxford on Saturday which made it three away victories in a row and five from their past six road trips in the Championship.

In four of those five wins, Wednesday have gone behind and Lowe feels it almost spurs them on.

"That stat is good and bad - it shows we've gone behind but it shows we don't give up, we know we can score goals and our keeper can pull off saves so we have faith in every department," Lowe told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"Ideally we keep a clean sheet and win but we fight back and always keep going, and the away support is also unmatched so it's a team effort."

The weekend win has lifted them up to ninth in the Championship table, five points short of the play-off places and they have now collected more points when coming from behind than any other side in the division.

"Going behind can knock confidence but I feel it gives us an extra boost sometimes - which it shouldn't be like - but it's been getting results recently so long may it continue.

"We can comfortably be a top side in this league but it's about consistency, staying humble and keeping grafting."

Oxford United return to the Kassam on Saturday trying to halt their slide down the table as they host Sheffield Wednesday.

The Us have won just one of their past 14 league games and are just a point off the bottom, though 16 of their 18 points have come at home.

The Owls lost for the first time in five against Blackburn on Tuesday and could return to the top 10 with a win.

• Oxford United are unbeaten in their past six league games against Sheffield Wednesday (W3 D3), since a 3-0 defeat in April 1988.

• After winning three of their four away league games against Oxford United between 1980 and 1988 (L1), Sheffield Wednesday have since failed to win on any of their past three visits (D2 L1).

• After winning their opening three home league games of 2024-25, Oxford United have won just one of their past seven (D4 L2).

• No Championship side has won more away games since the start of October than Sheffield Wednesday (W4 D1 L1), while they've won more games on the road in their past five matches (4) than in their previous nine (3).

• Sheffield Wednesday have won nine away league games in 2024, last winning 10+ on the road in a year in the Championship back in 2006 (10 wins).

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In their past 12 league games, Sheffield Wednesday have conceded the first goal on nine occasions.

A concerning statistic for some but for manager Danny Rohl, one that requires a balanced viewpoint.

"We can speak about the cup as half full, or half empty," Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"To win games you need clean sheets, this is better and makes things easier.

"But I think we are the team that have taken the most points from behind. I think this is also strong."

The Owls, however, were unable to fight back during their 1-0 loss to Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday to add to their woes at Hillsborough.

The defeat marks the eighth time in 10 home league games they have failed to win and leaves them mid-table in 12th place.

But Rohl still believes the squad has what it takes to challenge any Championship opponent.

"The squad, all-in-all, is competitive in this league," Rohl added.

"I will not say we did everything 100% right but we came close against a [Blackburn] team that has four wins in a row, with a big self-confidence."

You can listen to the full post-match interview on BBC Sounds.

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Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl has questioned his side's mindset during home matches ahead of Tuesday's visit of Blackburn Rovers to Hillsborough.

The Owls' 1-1 draw at home to Preston North End means Rohl's side have picked up just two wins from their previous nine Championship games at home.

By contrast, Wednesday have won four of their last five away from Hillsborough, only narrowly losing 1-0 to local rivals Sheffield United during that time.

"I think our mindset is not right at home," Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"I think we try and we want to play nice football and we forget in that moment what we have to do first in this division.

"We are a not a team that can dominate for 90 minutes."

Rovers have won their last four games, and Rohl has stressed to his team they will have to improve if they are to get back to winning ways in front of their own supporters.

"We have to do our things, our basics right and this starts against the ball - be aggressive, be organised, help each other.

"What is the difference between home and away? - I think this is the point.

"We think we can do special things and we forget the basics."

Sheffield Wednesday are looking to put themselves in the promotion mix after their recent climb up the table and face Blackburn on Tuesday evening.

The Owls are unbeaten in their past four games (W2 D2) - a run of results that has lifted them from 15th to ninth and five points behind Rovers in the play-off spots.

Blackburn arrive at Hillsborough off the back of four straight wins and also have a game in hand on the five sides above them.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won each of their past three league games against Blackburn, last winning more in a row over Rovers via a streak of five victories between 1964 and 1966.

• Blackburn Rovers have lost five of their past six away league games against Sheffield Wednesday, winning the other 5-0 in January 2020.

• Sheffield Wednesday are unbeaten in six midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (W3 D3), keeping a clean sheet in each of their past four and winning both of their past two in succession.

• After their 1-0 win over Middlesbrough in November, Blackburn could win successive away midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games for the first time since February 2018 (5 in a row).

• Josh Windass has scored in each of his past three league appearances against Blackburn Rovers for Sheffield Wednesday (3 goals).

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Sheffield Wednesday are starting to eye a surge towards the play-off positions as they seek a third consecutive win against struggling Preston at Hillsborough.

The Owls' victories away to Hull and Derby have lifted them to 12th in the table and three more points on Saturday could leave them just two shy of a top six place.

North End have followed a rather different trajectory of late, slumping to 18th after a run of eight matches without a victory - although the past three have all been draws. Paul Heckingbottom's side are yet to win away from Deepdale this season.

● Sheffield Wednesday have won just two of their last seven league games against Preston North End (D1 L4), one of which came in the last meeting between the pair during a 1-0 success at Deepdale.

● Preston North End have won two of their last three away league games against Sheffield Wednesday (L1), as many victories as across their prior 10 visits to Hillsborough combined beforehand (D1 L7).

● Sheffield Wednesday have won each of their last two league games, and could win three in a row for the first time since August (a run of four).

● Six of Preston's last eight league games have ended in a draw (L2), including each of the last three in a row. The Lilywhites last drew more consecutively in September 2021 (5).

● Sheffield Wednesday have collected more points from losing positions than any other side in the Championship this season (10), four of which have come in their last three league games.

Image source, BBC Sport

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Sheffield Wednesday have taken a "huge step forward" this season but manager Danny Rohl wants to improve results at home.

The Owls have only won three of their nine games in the Championship at Hillsborough and have the chance make that record better when Preston North End visit on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

Wednesday's brilliant late turnaround win at Derby last Sunday was their fourth on the road and Rohl wants some of that to rub off on their own patch.

"Of course we want to win home games but coming back from 1-0 down [at Derby] shows a lot about our mentality and belief," Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"It showed our fitness and willingness to run until the end and we have eight games in four weeks [until 1 January] so it will be a tough time."

After 18 games last season, the Owls had only seven points, but following seven wins in 2024-25, they've improved that by 18 points and sit 12th in the table, five points outside the top six.

"We have 25 points which is a huge step forward," Rohl added.

"Clubs that had 25 points last season - some went up and some down. It's up to us which direction we want to go.

"Preston are fighting for everything and a good pressing team but for us it's big opportunity to take the next three points and gift it to our home fans."

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It is one of the most eagerly anticipated dates in the football calendar as Premier League and Championship clubs join the FA Cup action from round three.

The draw will take place on Monday, 2 December from 19:00 GMT and can be watched live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

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Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl has said he will not risk striker Ike Ugbo, who was substituted at half-time during the Owls' 2-0 win at Hull City on Tuesday.

Ugbo's replacement Michael Smith scored with nine minutes remaining to seal Wednesday's third Championship away win of the season.

"For him, we have a little bit to look at," Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield ahead of his side's trip to Derby County on Sunday.

"We cannot risk something. Let's see what happens there, and all the other players are fine."

"If you are out for two weeks now, you are out for four games, and this is something we cannot risk."

Rohl also confirmed that Josh Windass will be available for Sunday's match after he was brought off at half-time at Hull.

Windass' 37th-minute penalty was the first spot-kick Wednesday had been awarded since May 2023.