A 5-0 win over AFC Wimbledon earned Sheffield Wednesday the perfect response to a terse week.

Henrik Pedersen accepted the nature of the discourse around the club in the week leading into Saturday’s 5-0 drubbing of AFC Wimbledon - and expressed his satisfaction in a result put them to within two points of the top of the table with a game in hand.

A flat first half performance at Huddersfield Town last weekend prompted rising fan concern over performances following back-to-back goalless draws at S6, despite a long unbeaten run that was extended to nine matches across all competitions. A flurry of fixtures await, starting with a trip to Notts County on Tuesday evening, in which the Owls will hope to build off the momentum of a handsome win.

On the feeling the win gave him after a week that saw social media bubble along with the phone-ins and that saw him face press conference themes he had not previously faced in his time at Wednesday, Pedersen smiled.

“I have had a big trust in my boys,” he told The Star. “And I can see how they're working every day. I can see how my coaches are working every day. And when we play like we did in the first half in Huddersfield then I also know it's not how we want to play football.

“But I could also see when we opened up that I saw our boys again like I saw in the beginning of the season. And we need training times to bring all those players together. This week has been the first week where we also have more injury players back, where we could play 11 v 11 with two strong teams, where we really could bring the intensity high up to a game level. And it will help us every time we can do it. So I'm pleased that the boys have success on the pitch today.”

One thing not so often discussed in recent weeks with focus placed on stuttering attacking output has been a mean home defensive record. Including an EFL Trophy shut-out against Sunderland’s under-21s, Wednesday have now collected four clean sheets on the spin. Jokingly commenting that media had suggested his side were in ‘crisis’ this week following three league draws on the run, the satisfied Owls boss commended another shut-out - and reiterated that the hard work is yet to come in what will be a busy fortnight of action.

On their defensive effort, Pedersen said: “I said to the boys in the dressing room that I'm really happy with the five goals but this concentrated defensive performance, guys, this is our fundamental. We cannot expect to make five goals and that will be difficult times but as long as we are strong defensively then we can also get points on very, very difficult days. I'm happy to see from the offensive side how we are using the offensive to be offensive.

“So we're not only pressing, pressing and then we lose balls or pressing, pressing and don't play transition. But the combination of being a good pressing team who had a good outcome for the transition, it's made me happy. And of course it's made me happy how we created chances also from open play.”