Glimmers of reasons for Sheffield Wednesday transfer persistence shown - Mallik Wilks backed to improve

New signing Mallik Wilks grabbed his first goal for the club with a well-taken run and shot from outside the area and laid on a threatening performance.

Taking on a match-high eight dribbles, the former Hull City man grew into the occasion – only his second start since joining the club in August – and caused the Burton defence issues.

It offered a glimpse into the skill set Wilks can offer and a rare positive on a frustrating evening that effectively put Wednesday out of the competition.

“I thought he was brilliant,” Owls boss Darren Moore told The Star.

“I'm so pleased for him because we'd not seen too much of him because we've been building and working him up behind the scenes, really getting some work into him.

“Tonight he was always going to get 90 minutes. There are one or two that have had those minutes and it will benefit them in the weeks to come. He's one of them. It will have been a tiring one for him but he's better for it.”

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Wilks was the subject of a protracted summer transfer saga in which Hull made Wednesday wait in pursuit of their man.

But it was all worth it, Moore said, with a fully-fit and firing Wilks able to provide the Owls with a new attacking dimension with his ball-carrying ability and pace.

He said: “You play a ball into him, he holds it up, his link-up play is good, he has the ability to go past people. There is so much more to come from him.

“The more and more he gets those minutes and training under his belt, the more you'll see why we brought him to the football club and the different attacking dimensions he gives us.

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“He can play out wide and he can play down the middle, he's very versatile in that front end and that's why we were so persistent in getting him here over the summer.”