No excuses for post-coronavirus Sheffield Wednesday ahead of Preston North End challenge

Sheffield Wednesday caretaker manager Neil Thompson has refused to line up excuses ahead of their home clash with Preston this weekend
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Thompson, now a month into his stint as stand-in boss, is looking for a response from his side after a disappointing 2-0 defeat at fellow relegation battlers Coventry City in midweek.

The reversal set the Hillsborough club six points adrift of the safety positions but Thompson is hoping to extend their run of home wins to five, a run they haven’t enjoyed since the days of Carlos Carvalhal.

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“We want to keep that little run going,” Thompson said. “Every game we approach we want to try to win, but there’s another team out there trying to do that. You’ve got to combat them.

Sheffield Wednesday stand-in boss Neil Thompson is refusing to make excuses.Sheffield Wednesday stand-in boss Neil Thompson is refusing to make excuses.
Sheffield Wednesday stand-in boss Neil Thompson is refusing to make excuses.

“We’ve got a game plan and what we want to do but obstacles get in the way and you have to try to adjust. Midweek at Coventry was a frustrating night for us. At the end of the day you’ve got no divine right to execute your game plan. Our opposition are fighting for our lives as well.

Preston are always a very difficult team to play against. We expect a tough game, that’s a given.

“We have to start picking up results and start dragging teams in, having people looking over their shoulder.”

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Though Wednesday are hoping to welcome some players back from injury, a handful of Wednesday players are understood to still be on the comeback trail to full fitness having picked up the virus after new year.

Asked about the impact it has had on the squad, Thompson said: “Let’s be right, it hasn’t helped, but it is what it is. Other clubs I’m sure have had other issues to deal with and football is unpredictable, you’ve to deal with it.

“That’s football, that’s life at this moment in time, so that’s no excuse. It is what it is.

“We’ve had one or two things to deal with, but we’ve dealt with it, hopefully we’re through the other side of it now, so going into the last 22 games we’ll hopefully have a better, stronger squad.”

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