Sheffield Wednesday

Cardiff City host Sheffield Wednesday as they look to keep clear of the relegation zone on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Bluebirds are only one point above 22nd placed Derby County, with the Rams on the charge with three successive wins.

Cardiff put an end to a three match losing streak last time out with a 2-1 victory over play off contenders Blackburn Rovers but will need to make it two in a row to secure safety.

• Cardiff City have won just one of their last six home league games against Sheffield Wednesday (D4 L1), though that sole victory did come in this exact fixture last season with a 2-1 success.

• Since the start of 2008, Sheffield Wednesday have won just two of their 18 away league games against sides from Wales (D7 L9), though the Owls did win on their last visit in a 1-0 victory over Swansea City in February.

• Cardiff have lost six of their last eight league games against sides from Yorkshire (W1 D1), conceding 24 goals in total during those matches.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won each of their last two away league games whilst scoring 3+ goals in the process; the Owls' last won more in succession while netting 3+ times in each back in December 2004 in the third tier.

• Sheffield Wednesday have scored 53 goals across their 38 league games this season, last scoring more at this stage of a campaign in the second tier in 2015-16 (56).

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl felt his side deserved a point after they fell to a 1-0 defeat by Sheffield United in the Steel City derby.

The Owls, who have now failed to score in the past five derbies between the two sides, remain six points off the top six with eight games to pay.

"Of course disappointed, we tried especially in the second half," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"In the end we deserved a point but in the end it looks like a mirror of our home performances.

"I think you saw in this game just how competitive we are. I couldn't see a difference from second in the table to us but the biggest wish for us was to give our fans a good result.

"Now it's all about recovery and we go again in our eight finals, they next opponents are not easy."

Rhian Brewster decided the game in the 64th minute, tapping in at the far post after Tyrese Campbell had skipped down the right flank before his low deflected cross found his team-mate.

"I think we have a three on two situation and even then we had a chance to defend it but this is exactly it in these moments," Rohl added.

"In the second half there was nothing from them, we had so many touches in their half but they unfortunately get the goal.

"This game described a lot about us this season, we had chances to win the game and the centre-back comes off with an injury."

The Steel City Derby is back on Sunday (12:30 GMT) as Sheffield Wednesday look to even the score with Sheffield United.

The Blades won the reverse fixture 1-0 in November and could see themselves rise to the top of the table if Leeds United don't claim victory on Saturday.

Alternatively, they may find themselves trying to return to the top two if Burnley are also successful on the weekend, while the Owls will be eyeing a chance to get closer to the play offs.

Wednesday are currently outside the top 10 but just five points away from sixth placed Coventry City.

• Sheffield Wednesday have failed to score in any of their last four league games against Sheffield United with Lucas Joao the last player to score for the Owls against United back in September 2017.

• Sheffield United are looking to register a league double over rivals Sheffield Wednesday for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost their last two home league games and haven't lost three in a row since losing their first three home games during the 2023-24 season.

• Sheffield United have won their last five away league games – the Blades are looking to win six in a row for only the second time in their history, doing so in 1892-93.

• Ben Brereton has scored six goals in his last 10 away Championship appearances across spells with Blackburn and Sheffield United. He's never scored against Sheffield Wednesday in seven games against them however.

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan has urged his side "not to get caught up in the noise" in Sunday's Steel City derby against Sheffield United.

The veteran Scot, 35, has made 400 league appearances for the Owls and is winless in five matches against their city rivals.

Wednesday lost the reverse fixture 1-0 at Bramall Lane in November and have not beaten the Blades since February 2012.

"Both teams are dying to win and put everything on the line," he told BBC Radio Sheffield

"I think the most important thing is to stick to the game plan and not get caught up with the noise from outside and whoever does that best will come away with the points.

"People say it's just another game but's it's not, it means more to the people in Sheffield so we know what's at stake. Obviously the first game was a close one that they nicked in the end.

"We're back at our place now and we'll come out all guns blazing to try and win the game because it would be a massive three points for us to try and get where we're wanting to."

Wednesday come into the match in good form after recording back-to-back away wins at Plymouth last Saturday and Norwich on Tuesday.

The Owls stayed down south between the two matches and Bannan brought the group into a huddle on the pitch after coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2.

He believes this could be a "pivotal" week as Danny Rohl's men, who are now five points off the top six, look to get back in play-off contention with nine games to go.

"We'd dropped eight points off the play-offs so we knew it was two massive games before the derby on Sunday that we had to concentrate on.

"We stayed down there away from families and it was a lot of travelling but it was worth it now because we came away with maximum points and that sets us up.

"When you get these kind of trips you become closer as a group and I think it was a pivotal moment in the season to come back from 2-0 down at Norwich.

"I told them I was proud of them and how they had conducted themselves and I just wanted to thank them for their efforts."

The first Steel City derby for more than five-and-a-half years ended with victory for Sheffield United in November - but can Sheffield Wednesday take revenge on their home turf?

Join a star-studded line-up of Ross Wallace, John Fleck, Barry Bannan and Tyrese Campbell as they look ahead to Sunday's showdown at Hillsborough on BBC Radio Sheffield's Football Heaven at 18:00 GMT on Thursday.

Not in the area? You can watch and listen online on the BBC Sport website and app, on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.

"I think Sheffield Wednesday have huge ambitions of trying to nick in the play-offs, I really do.

"I'm a huge admirer of Danny Rohl, I think he's done ever so well at Sheffield Wednesday. He's galvanised the club and the fans are in it and they are all in it together.

"Sunday is going to be a tasty one. I'm looking forward to it."

Wednesday are just five points off the play off places - can they make it?

Aaron Paul and former winger Jobi McAnuff are joined by ex-Huddersfield defender Tommy Smith as they take a look ahead to Sunday's Steel City derby at Hillsborough. Could it be Rohl's last?

With the Owls boss being linked with Southampton, the 72+ podcast team discuss Rohl's future.

You can listen to the latest episode of 72+ and more on the Football Daily podcast.

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Getty Images

There's a reason why the phrase 'typical Wednesday' exists. Shade often follows light. They typically haven't been very good away from home over the years. They've had long runs in the past where they haven't been able to overcome deficits.

Last season they looked doomed to relegation after a heavy defeat at Ipswich Town and an abject performance at Middlesbrough.

This is a new Wednesday these days. Now the Owls lead the Championship for points gained from a losing position (20). Their nine away wins are second only to Burnley and Sheffield United.

As we know, they overcame those defeats at Portman Road and the Riverside Stadium a year ago to pull off a great escape. Now, just as a play-off push was starting to fade, wins at Plymouth Argyle and Norwich City have re-ignited hope.

It's not very Wednesday to traipse into the dressing room 2-0 down at a place like Carrow Road and then flip the game on its head in the second half. This is the Danny Rohl effect.

The German always seems to have a plan B. His tactical adjustments are sophisticated and filled with purpose. They aren't hopeful punts.

He's legit. The real deal. Or the Rohl deal, if you like.

Look at the scenes at the end on Tuesday night. The always determined Barry Bannan leading a team huddle on the pitch, speaking of the significance of two huge away wins.

Players celebrating with fans as they roar their delight at another win on the road. Rohl having his moment, followed by Chris Powell loving every minute.

This is a world away from the normal Sheffield Wednesday.

Their next challenge to overcome is the Steel City derby on Sunday. Can they do what no other Owls team has done since 26 February 2012 and beat their rivals?

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl hailed his team's "outstanding" mentality after they staged a second-half fightback to win at Norwich City.

The Owls boss reflected on the fact that his side scored three second-half goals, just as they did in a 3-3 draw at Middlesbrough on Boxing Day, telling BBC Radio Sheffield:

"We played a strong Norwich who showed their quality in the first half, but I thought even at 2-0 there were moments we were in the game, though the transition moments were not clinical enough.

"At half-time we brought two players in, changed the shape, changed the pressing line to a little bit higher up.

"To have this mentality to come back, after Middlesbrough and now in Norwich, is outstanding. It felt really good because we had momentum against us and now we have a little bit back."

Wednesday's win lifted them above Norwich into 10th place, five points off the play-off positions.

Norwich City and Sheffield Wednesday still have hopes of gate-crashing the Championship play-offs as they meet on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT).

The Canaries are six points off the pace after a four-game unbeaten run which has included three draws.

Wednesday snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 win at Plymouth on Saturday and are seven points behind sixth-placed West Brom.

• Norwich City have lost just one of their past seven league games against Sheffield Wednesday (W4 D2), but could lose both league games to the Owls in a season for the first time since 2008-09.

• Sheffield Wednesday are winless across their past six away league games against Norwich City (D2 L4), since a 1-0 victory at Carrow Road in April 2009.

• Norwich have only won two of their past 11 Championship games played on a Tuesday (D4 L5) with home victories over Watford (4-2 in February 2024) and Plymouth (6-1 in November 2024).

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost only one of their past 11 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (W5 D5), and are unbeaten in their previous four on the road (W2 D2).

• Borja Sainz has been directly involved in three goals in his three Championship appearances against Sheffield Wednesday (2 goals, 1 assist), scoring and assisting in this exact fixture for Norwich last season.

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield Wednesday head coach Danny Rohl says he was impressed by his side as they ended their poor run of form with an impressive 3-0 win at Plymouth Argyle.

Aside from a difficult opening 10 minutes the Owls controlled the game against an Argyle side low on confidence who dropped to the foot of the Championship table.

The win came after a three-match losing run and keeps Wednesday's outside hopes of making the play-offs alive - they remain 13th in the Championship and are seven points off sixth place.

"Except for the first six or 10 minutes I think we dominated the game against a difficult one," Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"How they play, their structure against the ball, it's not easy to create so many opportunities.

"But we controlled the game, kept the ball in the right areas, we were aggressive against the ball and our counter-pressing was much, much better.

"I must say at first the back four, and then the back five, did a good job today.

"It was important that we kept a clean sheet today, even after going 3-0 up, and in the end we could have scored four or five goals - we had some good chances."

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Another eventful week at Hillsborough then?

Reports surfaced suggesting Southampton retain an interest in appointing Danny Rohl in the summer, to replace Ivan Juric.

Both managers were asked about the story at their press conferences. Juric said it was "normal" for the boss of a struggling team to be linked with the sack. He's lost all but one of his 10 Premier League matches in charge of Saints.

Meanwhile, Rohl used a straight bat the England cricket team could have done with during the recent Champions Trophy.

I know some people think journalists were born yesterday - but none of us expected any revelations. Sometimes you have to ask questions because fans expect you to. Nothing was ever going to be confirmed or denied. It played out as expected.

To be honest, the feeling that Southampton could make a fresh move for Rohl has felt like the worst-kept secret in football for a while. He was the man they wanted before and as was suggested this week, the compensation situation will be easier once Saints are relegated.

The German's focus will be on the final 11 games. Rohl is too professional to take his eye off the ball, particularly with a Steel City Derby on 16 March. He won't want anything to distract from the task at hand and will likely do everything to ensure that doesn't happen.

Unfortunately for Owls fans though, they face the prospect of this coming to fruition. What happens then?

The club has definitely taken a step forward under Rohl's leadership, on and off the pitch. He is a top-class operator who is used to working at big clubs or with the German national team.

It should irk Wednesday supporters that a club like Southampton, even with a Premier League infrastructure and experience, are universally seen as a more appealing option — capable of delivering on the ambitions of a talented young boss.

That shouldn't just be shrugged off. There shouldn't just be a coping mechanism of a finger pointed at the German if he does move on eventually.

It shouldn't just be accepted that Wednesday can't compete with clubs like Southampton. They should aspire to be peers, at the very least.

Plymouth will seek to get back to winning ways in the Championship as Sheffield Wednesday head to Home Park on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The second-bottom Pilgrims are effectively seven points from safety and are winless in four league games, taking just two points and scoring two goals, since the thumping 5-1 win over Millwall on 12 February.

The Owls have one win in six and have lost their past three games to fall seven points and seven spots behind the play-off places.

• Plymouth Argyle have won each of their past four home league games against Sheffield Wednesday, scoring exactly three goals in three of those victories.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won each of their past two league games against Plymouth Argyle and could win three in succession against the Pilgrims for the first time in the EFL.

• Since losing five in a row at Home Park between February and April 2024, Plymouth Argyle have only lost four of 20 home Championship games (W8 D8).

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost each of their past three Championship matches and haven't had a longer losing run since losing the first four games of the 2023-24 season under Xisco Munoz.

• Sheffield Wednesday have conceded 27 goals in the final 30 minutes of Championship matches this season, shipping seven goals in this time period across their last five league games alone.