Rejuvenated Sheffield Wednesday set to embark on crucial period

Steve Bruce's side take on three of the bottom five teams in the space of eight days, starting with 22nd-placed Reading this weekend.

After entertaining the Royals, the Owls face Millwall and Rotherham United in an away double-header.

Wednesday are currently languishing in 16th position, nine points outside of the play-off positions with 17 matches remaining.

But the reinvigorated Owls are in good form, having won four of their last seven league outings.

Bruce told The Star: "We have got three games coming up in a week so it is going to be a big period for us.

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"Can we keep the good form going? Can we go and win a couple of them and see where that takes us?"

The 58-year-old began life at Wednesday with a hard-earned victory at Ipswich Town last weekend. He has promised to wipe the slate clean and assess his squad over the coming months, having succeeded Jos Luhukay at the helm.

"I will assess them in training too but the beauty of it is we now have two to three months to have a really good look," he said. "In the meantime, can we mount a little challenge? Can we put a little run together? Can we do what Hull have done?

"We are capable and we know that. In this division, anything is possible so let's not get carried away. We have had a good start and that's all it is."