Sheffield Wednesday have the chance to do something for the first time in 36 years vs Notts County
Five talking points ahead of Sheffield Wednesday’s clash with Notts County at Meadow Lane on Tuesday evening.
Sheffield Wednesday will be targeting back-to-back wins when they face Notts County in League One at Meadow Lane this evening.
The Owls, who last faced Notts in a league fixture in 2012, got back to winning ways in the league on Saturday with a thumping 5-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon at Hillsborough. They got the job done thanks to goals from Davis Keillor-Dunn (2), Barry Bannan, Harry Gray and Callum Slattery.
After a run of three successive league draws, it was exactly what Wednesday and manager Henrik Pedersen needed, with some groans and grumbles having started to creep in over the past few weeks.
The challenge for the Owls now, of course, is to build on Saturday’s victory against a Notts side struggling for form. Ahead of the clash with Martin Paterson’s side, here are five pre-match talking points:
Selection dilemmas
After being starved of options and repeatedly having to call upon the same players week in, week out last season, Owls boss Pedersen will be grateful to have selection headaches nowadays — and this evening will be no different.
Following the nature of Saturday’s victory and performance, Pedersen must be tempted to name the same starting XI in the hope of getting the same outcome. However, with tonight’s trip to Meadow Lane being the second of five games in just 16 days, rotation is likely to be a theme at some stage.
That is why, ahead of tonight’s clash with Notts, the likes of Max Lowe, Billy Mitchell and Ali Al-Hamadi will be knocking on Pedersen’s door in pursuit of a starting berth. The trio were introduced in the second half on Saturday, with Lowe returning from a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury and Al-Hamadi rejoining the matchday squad following an ankle issue.
Reece James has been excellent at left-back in recent weeks, meaning Lowe’s return presents Pedersen with a selection dilemma. Meanwhile, Mitchell will be hoping to return to the midfield after making way for Jaden Heskey at the weekend. Al-Hamadi, meanwhile, will be eyeing his first start for Wednesday after replacing Jamal Lowe in the second half against Wimbledon.
The ten-game marker
It is often argued that league tables start to take shape around ten games into the season. Having had two games postponed during the recent international break, Wednesday are playing catch-up with several of their League One counterparts, meaning tonight’s game will mark their tenth league outing of the campaign.
Although performances have been inconsistent, Wednesday have made a solid start in terms of results, picking up 18 points from their first nine matches. A victory this evening, depending on results elsewhere, could see them finish the night at the top of the table.
Whatever the league table looks like at 10pm this evening, Wednesday reaching 21 points after ten games would represent a very impressive start. Not since the 1990/91 campaign (26) have the Owls amassed 21 points from their opening ten games of a league season.
If that milestone is achieved, everyone associated with the club deserves immense credit for making such a strong start to the campaign, following a previous season of torment and a summer marked by significant changes and the arrival of 18 new players.
Another clean sheet?
Scoring five goals against Wimbledon at the weekend was one thing, but adding another clean sheet to their tally brought Pedersen just as much satisfaction. The Owls have kept five clean sheets in their first 13 games across all competitions this season, including four in their last four outings at Hillsborough.
Although Wednesday remain unbeaten away from home this season, having won four of their five away games across all competitions, they have yet to keep a clean sheet on the road, making that their next challenge.
Wednesday last kept a clean sheet away from home in April, when they drew 0-0 with Coventry City at the Coventry Building Society Arena. That remains their only shutout on the road in 2026.
Notts County’s struggles
Competing in League One for the first time in over a decade, the Magpies have so far found life tough back in England’s third tier. Following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers, they head into tonight’s game sitting 23rd in the table and on a four-game losing run in the league.
Their defeat to Wycombe extended their winless run in League One to six matches, meaning Wednesday could be facing Paterson’s side at an ideal juncture. Notts have won just one of their first nine league matches this season and are only being kept off the foot of the table because of goal difference.
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Although Wednesday are strong favourites to claim all three points, their 0-0 draw with Wigan at Hillsborough last month should serve as a reminder that nothing is guaranteed at this level. Wednesday will need to approach this game with full concentration and ensure they maintain the high standards they set against Wimbledon.
Will Morrison start?
After watching Slattery, Gray, Lowe and Keillor-Dunn either score or assist against Wimbledon, Kieran Morrison was tasked with trying to leave his calling card after coming off the bench with nine minutes remaining. Fortunately for him, he was able to follow suit, providing the assist for Keillor-Dunn’s second goal and Wednesday’s fifth of the contest.
The Liverpool loanee was relegated to the bench after struggling to influence proceedings against Huddersfield the previous weekend, but his third assist of the season served as a reminder of what he can bring to the table.
Although Slattery is not a natural right-sided player, his performance at the weekend was encouraging, while Gray was excellent on the left, producing his best showing in Wednesday colours to date.
Based on Saturday’s performance, it would be harsh to leave either Gray or Slattery out of the team, meaning Morrison might once again be tasked with trying to influence proceedings from the bench. Whatever Pedersen decides, it is good to have so many options.