'We deserve to be' - Sheffield Wednesday's relegation rivals get unfiltered message from manager

Sheffield Wednesday’s rivals have been dug out by their own manager ahead of this weekend’s defining final weekend. Wednesday gave themselves a big shot at survival with a huge win over West Brom last time out, moving three points clear of the drop zoine but with a much inferior goal difference.

The Owls can guarantee safety with a point against Sunderland this weekend, while either of Birmingham City or Plymouth Argyle failing to win will also do the trick. Birmingham face playoff hopefuls Norwich City on the final day, while Plymouth face another playoff hopeful in Hull City.

Ahead of the final weekend, Birmingham boss Gary Rowett has taken a swipe at his team after they failed to beat the team below them in Huddersfield Town. The draw all-but relegated the Terriers, but it did little to boost the survival hopes of the Blues, leaving them in need of and hope results go their way on the final day.

“At this stage of the season, they see other teams winning games of football and there’s an expectation when you’re playing the two teams around us that you go and win one of the games,” Rowett said after the game. “We deserve to be where we are and that’s really simple at this stage of the season. Our away form has been incredibly poor all season. You have to show a much better mentality,”

Birmingham have only been in the third tier of English football just twice in their long history, and they now head into the final weekend in real danger of dropping out of the Championship. Blues must win and realistically hope Plymouth, Blackburn Rovers or Wednesday lose. Plymouth currently have a better goal difference than Birmingham by four, so Birmingham could win and survive with a Plymouth draw, but they would need a significant goal difference swing.