Garry Monk demands no let-up from his Sheffield Wednesday squad as they prepare to take on Stoke City

Wednesday are on a roll, having recorded four victories from their last five Championship fixtures to climb up to third in the table.

But Monk is demanding no let-up from his squad heading into the festive programme.

Monk, whose team travel to troubled Stoke City on Boxing City, told The Star: "We are quite a level-headed group.

“We don't get ahead of ourselves.

“We know how hard each game is and we respect that with the hard work and preparation we put into the games."

While recognising the Owls are in a "healthy" position at the halfway stage of the campaign, Monk has warned that they will not always have things their own way.

“There are going to be quite a few setbacks I'm sure in the second half of the season where it gets a little bit harder and tighter," he said.

“They (the players) are all doing well.

“We have to focus on ourselves as that is all that matters.

“We know we need to improve but it is nice to see them improving on things that maybe three months ago we weren't getting right.

We have made steps in the right direction."

Barry Bannan's coolly taken 85th minute penalty ensured Wednesday saw off Bristol City in their final fixture before Christmas.

“We won’t get complacent,” insisted Bannan. “We have got to concentrate on ourselves and not what worry about what is going on around us.”