Barry Bannan compares Sheffield Wednesday challenge to Manchester United and Arsenal - praises Owls boss

Bannan, who has been a standout performer for the Owls this season, played at Old Trafford and the Emirates on a handful of occasions during his time with Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, and said there was always an inclination to raise your game for those matches.

Now, with Wednesday looking to secure a Play-Off spot in League One, the Owls skipper thinks that Darren Moore’s side are dealing with a similar thing as teams look to get one over on one of the biggest teams in the division.

Speaking to Sky Sports after claiming his Player of the Month award for March, Bannan said, "The difference here is we're seen as one of the biggest teams in the league, if not the biggest, and everyone wants to come and beat Sheffield Wednesday… It's been tough in that respect, but we've had to overcome it, and as the season has worn on we've started getting better at that, and we've gotten more used to it.

"I guess it's similar to when I was playing in the Premier League and we went to the likes of Old Trafford or the Emirates. You tend to raise your game a bit because you're playing the best in the league and you want to show what you can do.

"It's the same as when teams come here to Hillsborough. The atmosphere is amazing and it's such a big stadium. Some teams can buckle, but others raise their game because they want to show what they can do in a big arena."

And Bannan reserved special praise for the manager as well, saying that he’s played a ‘massive’ role in the club’s resurgence since his arrival.

"He's done really well,” he explained. “When we got relegated the connection with the fans wasn't as good as it is now. Performances on the pitch have helped that, because that's how you get fans onside.

"They are starting to see a new team now that the gaffer has assembled. The culture has changed as well, there's more togetherness in the training ground, and I know that because I've been here for six or seven years.

"The gaffer has played a massive part in that. He's got us all together and made us one big family, and that's what helps us through the bad patches. It is down to him and how he wants to do things. He's done a terrific job."

Bannan is fully expected to be at the heart of Moore’s Wednesday XI when they go into battle against MK Dons on Saturday evening, and he’ll be keen to add to his already impressive return of 18 goals and assists over the course of the campaign.

The 32-year-old has spoken often of his desire to make up for last year’s relegation from the Championship, and a win at Stadium MK would send a strong signal going into the final few games of the season.

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