Sheffield Wednesday

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl admitted the Hillsborough surface was a factor in slowing his team's progress after they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Luton.

Rohl's side struggled to make much progress early in the game and trailed at the break before producing a much-improved display in the second period, claiming a point through substitute Michael Smith's penalty.

"I knew we could bring input and accelerate our game, in the first half it was not easy to speed up the game at the right moments," the Owls boss told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"Of course the pitch, at this time of the year, is not easy – it slows you down a little bit and you need two or three touches.

"In the second half we found more spaces and adapted the shape a little bit. The two subs helped us a lot, the second half was much better and I think in the end we deserved to win this game.

"We had 68 per cent possession, even on this pitch. But I cannot blame my team, they tried everything."

Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield will hope to find his first win since taking charge as they visit Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Bloomfield has seen a draw and two losses from his new side since joining from League One's Wycombe Wanderers in January.

The Hatters are currently second from bottom in the Championship and only an emphatic win will give them the opportunity to escape the bottom three.

Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday are on the hunt for a play-off place and will need three points else risk dropping off the pace.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won just one of their last 13 league games against Luton Town (D4 L8), a 1-0 victory at Hillsborough in August 2019.

• Luton Town have won seven of their last eight league games against Sheffield Wednesday (L1), keeping four clean sheets across that time.

• Sheffield Wednesday are unbeaten across their last four home league games (W2 D2), scoring 2+ goals in each of those matches.

• Luton have lost each of their last 11 away league games in succession, conceding 2.7 goals on average per match in that time. No side across England's top four tiers is currently on a longer losing run on their travels than the Hatters.

• Luton's Charlton Morris has netted three goals across his last two league meetings with Sheffield Wednesday, netting a brace in the reverse fixture back in September.

Sheffield United could pip Steel City rivals Wednesday to the capture of Scotland midfielder Stuart Armstrong, who has been playing in Canada since leaving Southampton. (Sheffield Star, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column.

Image source, Rex Features

The second Steel City derby of the season between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United has been moved to Sunday, 16 March with a 12:30 (GMT) kick-off.

The fixture was originally scheduled for a day earlier at 15:00 (GMT) but has been put back just under 24 hours.

United won the reverse fixture 1-0 at Bramall Lane in November thanks to a goal from Tyrese Campbell.

The game in March will be the first time the sides have met in a league game at Hillsborough in just over six years after a goalless draw in the Championship in 2019.

Sheffield Wednesday are trying to seal a deal to sign Japanese defender Ryo Hatsuse from J1 League club Vissel Kobe after he spent time training with the Owls this month. (The Star), external

Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Read Tuesday's gossip column here.

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Callum Paterson says a lack of game time has taken its toll on his mental health.

The 30-year-old made his first Championship start of the season and scored in the 2-0 win at QPR on Saturday.

"It's not been fun, it's tough on my mental health, tough on my family and friends and everyone around me to see me in a bad mood all the time, not getting a lot of game time, not playing and it's difficult not being able to do your job," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"I got my chance [on Saturday] and fortunately I took it."

Until the weekend Paterson had been limited to 11 substitute appearances in the league, also scoring in a win over Stoke in December.

"The fans have seen me for years, they know what I am and I'm good at it. I've done it for years at this level and above so I'm thankful they appreciate what I do and like my effort," he added.

The Scottish international is now hoping to help Wednesday push themselves into the play-off spots, but accepts it's not his decision whether he keeps his place in the starting line-up.

"It's not up to me, I've put myself in the window and hopefully I get some more game time."

Sheffield Wednesday are plotting a move to sign midfielder Stuart Armstrong from MLS outfit Vancouver Whitecaps. (Yorkshire Post), external

Out-of-favour Nottingham Forest forward Emmanuel Dennis is more likely to join Watford on loan than Sheffield Wednesday amid interest from both Championship clubs. (The Star), external

Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Read Monday's gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

Following their 2-0 win at QPR, Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"Credit to my team. I demanded one more push this week, and it's not easy to come to QPR and take something, they've had a good run.

"The first 15 to 20 minutes was not easy, a lot of set-pieces and not-nice football, but we came step by step into the game and in the second half in the right moments, we scored and then kept the clean sheet.

"It's a really good performance. There was a feeling after the Bristol game [from others] that this was a bad season, but that's wrong.

"We were very focused, very organised and concentrated. In the second half I can't remember them having one chance against us."

Two teams locked together in mid-table meet on Saturday (15:00 GMT) as QPR host Sheffield Wednesday.

The Rs have climbed steadily up the table under Marti Cifuentes over the past couple of months and go into this game ahead of Danny Rohl's visitors on goal difference.

Both teams know they could go within a point of the play-off places with a win.

• QPR have won just one of their past six league games against Sheffield Wednesday (D2 L3), a 4-1 home victory in April 2021.

• Sheffield Wednesday won their last away league game against QPR 2-0 in April and will be looking to win two matches in succession at Loftus Road against the Hoops for the first time since October 2000.

• QPR have won each of their past five home league games and could win six in succession at Loftus Road for the first time since a run of eight victories ending in February 2004.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost their past two away league games, conceding exactly three goals in each. Not since March 2021 have the Owls lost three consecutive away matches whilst conceding 3+ goals in each.

• Against no side has Sheffield Wednesday's Josh Windass netted more Championship goals than against QPR (3), with each of his last two coming at Loftus Road.

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield after the Owls were denied victory by a late Bristol City equaliser in Tuesday's 2-2 draw at Hillsborough.

"If you're leading two times at home, then you want to win the game," Rohl said.

"The first half was good. We were the better team. They got an equaliser in the second half but we came straight back – it was a good reaction.

"But the last 40 minutes was too passive. And, I must say, our strength in the past was the impact we made with the subs. Today, we didn't do that.

"I had a feeling at half-time that I would take a 1-0 win and no entertainment in the second half. That's our problem. We had this against Millwall, too. This is our issue and we have to find a solution for this.

"It's about running, closing down, doing all the right things, and I take the responsibility for the last 40 minutes that I couldn't help the team on the pitch. I am disappointed for the result, but also for my decisions.

"I decided to make substitutions. You hope the subs will give you fresh legs and help the team, but that didn't happen. Sometimes people can't understand why I make subs, but I have more information to hand. Even so this is difficult to take, especially with how we played in the second half.

"It's hard to take – but that's football. And Saturday is a new game."

Bristol City make the trip to Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday as both sides look to close in on a place in the play-off places (19:45 GMT).

The two sides are level on points but separated by goal difference in the Championship table, both four points below West Bromwich Albion in sixth place.

However, neither side registered wins last time out, though the Owls have not lost any of their past three games at Hillsborough.

• Wednesday have won one of their past five league games against Bristol City (W1 D2 L2), though that victory did come in this exact fixture last season (2-1).

• City have failed to win any of their past seven away league games against Wednesday (D2 L5), netting two goals in total across their past five league visits to Hillsborough.

• Since a 6-2 defeat by Watford in November, Wednesday have lost one of their past seven home league games (W3 D3 L1) and are unbeaten in their previous three league outings at Hillsborough (W2 D1).

• City have not won on the road in the league during midweek since Boxing Day 2023 at Watford (4-1), drawing four and losing two of their past six such matches.

• City's Scott Twine has been involved in four goals in his four previous league appearances against Wednesday (3 goals, 1 assist), netting on both previous occasions at Hillsborough (2 goals).