Sheffield Wednesday manager Garry Monk addresses burnout concerns ahead of Preston clash

Despite a string of positive performances the Owls have taken only four points from a possible 12 in their four matches back and heading into this evening’s clash with Preston North End are winless in two after defeats to West Brom and Swansea.

Alex Neil’s playoff-chasing side arrive winless in seven and both sides will fancy their chances of a result under the Hillsborough floodlights.

Several of Wednesday’s key men have played most of the minutes in the whirlwind return, with burnout a potential factor heading into the last five matches.

Asked how much of a concern that is, Owls boss Garry Monk said: “We don’t have any other choice. The squad is the squad and we’ll go about it the best we can.

“A lot depends on where you are in games, you saw against Bristol [City], when Joey came on, we had a good position and made sure we saw the game out.

“But in the last couple of games where we’ve been chasing, it’s difficult, you have to use the options you do have to put that pressure on and some have to stay on longer than you’d like. It is what it is.”

The games keep on coming for Wednesday. Tonight’s is the first of five matches in a fortnight. Could that be a bonus for his side coming off a disappointing defeat at Swansea?

“It can be and it can’t be sometimes,” Monk said. “It’s difficult in this period, it’s very hard.

“The freshness of players, that’s a big ask, but we’re all in the same boat. We just have to try to approach it like we do every game.

“Overall, a lot of good things have come but what we’ve not done in the last two games is take advantage of the strong positions that we find ourselves in.

“At Swansea we should have been out of sight, they should have been the ones stretching and scrambling, but we couldn’t shut the door.

“It’s so frustrating. You can see the work we’re doing, you can see what we’re trying to do.”

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