Sheffield Wednesday urged not to ‘take a foot off the gas’ by striker Sam Winnall

Sheffield Wednesday cannot afford to let any part of their performance slip if they are to continue their run of improved results.
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That’s according to striker Sam Winnall, who says that the Owls must keep working at full capacity until the last minute of the season if they are to achieve the unexpected with a top six finish.

With seven games to go, Wednesday will look to maintain their impressive run of one league defeat since the start of 2019 when they host Aston Villa at Hillsborough on Saturday.

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And despite the threat posed by their play-off rivals, Winnall says confidence is high in the Owls squad.

Owls Sam Winnall.........Pic Steve EllisOwls Sam Winnall.........Pic Steve Ellis
Owls Sam Winnall.........Pic Steve Ellis

“It’s really high, but without getting carried away, we know what has been working for us,” he told The Star.

“We know that we have performed when we have worked hard, and put in a real shift.

“I feel like we have improved on our hard work, and results have improved at the same time.

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“We know we can’t get ahead of ourselves and take our foot off the gas, it doesn’t work like that.

“We have to maintain our performances, and probably up it another couple of per cent. That’s our aim.

“We are quietly confident in ourselves, but we are not getting ahead of ourselves.”

Despite their unexpected rise into play-off contention, Winnall says that Steve Bruce’s side will not give up on their ambition of a shot at promotion to the Premier League – at least until the numbers rule it out.

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“The Championship is impossible to read,” he said. “We just aim to win every game, and that’s what we will do until it is mathematically impossible for us to get there.

“It normally goes (to the last weekend), you only have to look at the last few seasons. I had it at Derby last season, nothing is ever settled until the last day.

“We have got to take pride in ourselves as players, coaching staff, and football club, we have given ourselves this chance.

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“Nobody in the Championship gives you points, we have had to work hard, be disciplined, and we have got the points.”

Winnall’s return to the Owls team has been a much needed boost for Steve Bruce’ injury-hit squad, who have been without star man Steven Fletcher and fellow striker Lucas Joao in their attacking ranks.

And although Winnall’s wait for a goal this season continues, he knows that faith in his strengths as a forward will be vital to end the drought.

“Sometimes that first goal is the illusive one, but I have faith in my own ability.

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“That’s what we need to keep doing, especially with the fixtures we have got coming up.

“That’s something you relish more than you fear, because you want to earn points but your rivals to drop points, that’s going to be in our hands in the future.”