Ipswich Town boss makes claim on Sheffield Wednesday transfer business and Danny Röhl

That's according to Tractor Boys boss Kieran McKenna, who is preparing his side for a battle against familiar foes after the two clubs tussled in the League One promotion race last season and played out two tightly-contested 2-2 draws.

A season on and the pair are operating at different ends of the table, Ipswich just three points off top spot and Wednesday a point off the safety places. Ipswich not having lost at home since August - though Wednesday boss Danny Röhl has given every indication his side will go out for the full three points in Suffolk.

It's Röhl's impact on the side since his arrival in South Yorkshire that has impressed McKenna, who suggested the Owls are in something of a false position given their resurgence in recent months and praised their efforts in the transfer market. Wednesday sit just three points behind Ipswich in the six-game form table.

"They've certainly improved, there's no doubt about that," McKenna said. "They've always had good individual quality, they've added more pace and one-v-one qualities to the team in the last two windows and now the manager has got them really well organised from a tactical point of view on and off the ball, playing an aggressive brand of football. So we're expecting to face the strongest Sheffield Wednesday team we've faced.

"They've been in good form for quite a period of time. Since October they are certainly not one of the lower teams in the division. We'll go into the game with eyes open, respecting their team and the quality that they'll have. We all need to go to the stadium knowing we're in for a battle and it's going to be a really hard fought game."

The Blues boss added: "I think it will be a great game. I don't expect them to come and sit back and defend. I expect them to play with an attacking mindset because they've done that in pretty much every game they've had with the new manager. We do that in every game too, of course.

"I think it's going to be two teams trying to take the initiative and be brave and dominant. It's a game to enjoy, one to embrace. We're going to have to play well, work extremely hard and be very smart to come out on top performance-wise and, hopefully, come out on top with the points."