Sheffield Wednesday

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Sheffield Wednesday's Josh Windass admits he is taking a risk by having his hair cut by his Sheffield United-supporting barber ahead of this weekend's Steel City Derby.

The midfielder will experience his first Sheffield derby at Bramall Lane on Sunday.

"My barber is a Blades fan so I'm hoping he doesn't butcher me before the weekend," Windass told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"I told him to make sure he doesn't ruin my haircut but he said he can't promise anything so we'll see how we go."

The 30-year-old played and scored for Rangers in an Old Firm derby against Celtic in 2018 and expects the experience at the weekend to be similar.

"I would compare Sheffield to Glasgow in that it's like a goldfish bowl and you're either a Wednesday fan or a United fan," Windass added.

"My goal in the Old Firm game was in a defeat so if I can score a winner in a derby then that would be amazing but the aim isn't for me to score the winner, it's for the team to win and if that comes by me then brilliant."

Despite this being the first Sheffield derby in more than five years, Windass is well aware of the intense rivalry between the two clubs.

"I've got close friends who're Wednesday fans and they're telling me they won't go to the game because it's at their stadium," he said.

"But I'm looking forward to sampling the atmosphere and if it's anything like the Old Firm then I can't wait."

You can catch Football Heaven: Steel City Derby Special on BBC iPlayer or BBC Sounds.

Former Blades manager Neil Warnock and Owls legend Chris Waddle are no strangers to the Steel City derby.

The two have been speaking on BBC Radio Sheffield's Football Heaven: Steel City Derby Special about just how much the battle for local bragging rights means to them.

"I remember people saying it's just another game and I thought 'what are they talking about?' - it's not," Warnock said.

"The rivalry - no matter what you do, whether you're bottom or top of the league, it doesn't matter in these games. It's who wants it more, who can play on the day."

As for how Sunday afternoon at Bramall Lane is going to pan out, Waddle finds his former side an unknown component in his prediction calculations.

"Going into the derby, you know what you're going to get from United. Very organised, very drilled," Waddle said.

"I don't know how Wednesday will perform, they are such an unpredictable team.

"What you are seeing from Sheffield United so far this season is consistency and I think what you've seen from Wednesday is inconsistency.

"I think if Wednesday get a draw or a win - fantastic! It'll be a great result for them."

Warnock lists United as "favourites" but feels that "Wednesday can beat anyone on their day" - though he does think that the Blades have something special up their sleeve with keeper Michael Cooper.

"For me, he should be in the Premier League and he might be next year. He's one of the best keepers I've seen," Warnock said.

You can catch Football Heaven: Steel City Derby Special in full on BBC iPlayer or BBC Sounds.

A special Sunday afternoon awaits Sheffield as the Blades host the Owls in the first Steel City derby for more than five-and-a-half years.

Join a star-studded line-up of Chris Basham, Lee Bullen, Neil Warnock and Chris Waddle as they look ahead to this weekend's showdown at Bramall Lane on BBC Radio Sheffield's Football Heaven at 18:00 GMT on Thursday.

Not in the area? No bother. You can watch and listen online on the BBC Sport website and app, on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.

Image source, BBC Sport

Sheffield Wednesday are looking to recover from their heavy 6-2 defeat at home to Watford on Saturday and have won just one of their last six games at Hillsborough (D2 L3).

Norwich City are without a win in four (D3 L1) but are still only three points behind sixth-placed West Brom. The Canaries are also the joint-highest scorers in the Championship alongside Sunderland with 23 goals.

• Sheffield Wednesday are winless in their last six league games against Norwich City (D2 L4) since hammering them 5-1 in May 2018.

• Since their last goalless league draw at Hillsborough in October 2014, Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich have shared 23 goals in the five league games there since (4.6 per game).

• Sheffield Wednesday haven't lost a home league game in midweek since April 2021 against Swansea (W11 D7 since), with five of their last six such games ending in a draw.

• Norwich have won just one of their last seven midweek league games (D3 L3), with each of their last three ending in a draw.

• Norwich's Borja Sainz has been involved in three goals in his two previous Championship appearances against Sheffield Wednesday (2 goals, 1 assist), all of which came last season.

Image source, Rex Features

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