Sheffield Wednesday have the chance to do something for the first time in 36 years vs Wigan
Sheffield Wednesday will be targeting a fourth successive win when they host Wigan Athletic on Saturday afternoon.
Sheffield Wednesday will be hoping to continue their excellent start to the season when they welcome Wigan Athletic to Hillsborough this afternoon.
The Owls, who have won four of their last five meetings with the Latics, climbed to the top of the League One table for the first time this season last weekend after recording a third successive victory with a 2-1 win over Peterborough United.
An own goal from Josh Feeney and a second half effort from Yan Valery, either side of a Ben Woods equaliser, sealed all three points for the Owls, who head into this weekend’s action with a one-point advantage at the summit.
Ahead of the visit of Wigan, who have lost four of their opening five league games this season, here are five pre-match talking points:
Any changes?
News that Liam Cooper is available for selection could see boss Henrik Pedersen name the same back four for the third game running. Cooper has recovered well from the setback he encountered against Peterborough last week, meaning he is in contention to keep his place at the heart of the defence.
Pedersen, though, could make tweaks in midfield and attack. Midfielder Billy Mitchell will be hoping to return to the starting XI after Jaden Heskey replaced him against Peterborough, while the likes of Ali Al-Hamadi and Mason Burstow will be hoping to earn starting berths after making encouraging impacts from the bench last time out.
Burstow had started the wins over Bromley and Wycombe Wanderers before starting on the bench against Peterborough, meaning he will be hoping to win back his place in the starting XI. However, Jamal Lowe has started the campaign in excellent form, while Davis Keillor-Dunn will be hoping to earn a second successive start after arriving on loan from Wrexham.
Loanees dilemma
With Leeds United loanee Harry Gray back in contention, Pedersen must decide which of his six loanees will miss out this afternoon. As per EFL rules, clubs are only permitted to name five loanees in a matchday squad, meaning the Owls boss will have to deliver some bad news to one of them.
Keillor-Dunn’s arrival on loan from Wrexham last week increased Wednesday’s tally of loanees to six, following the earlier arrivals of Kieran Morrison, Al-Hamadi, Burstow, Heskey and Gray. Heskey, Morrison and Keillor-Dunn started last weekend’s win over Peterborough, while Al-Hamadi and Burstow impressed after coming off the bench.
Gray has missed each of the last three matches because of concussion protocol after suffering a head injury against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup last month. He had started each of Wednesday’s opening four matches this season in league and cup.
It is a challenge that provides no obvious answer, and Pedersen must try to solve it.
Top-versus-bottom
On paper, Wednesday are strong favourites ahead of this afternoon’s tussle with Wigan. While the Owls have enjoyed a fantastic start, winning four of their first five matches, the Latics have lost four of their first five, meaning they are currently bottom of the table.
A top-versus-bottom clash, at first glance, presents Wednesday with a good opportunity to maintain their strong start to the season and continue their residency at the top of the table. But, as football has demonstrated countless times over the years, it is rarely that simple.
After producing two hard-working, determined performances on the road, Wednesday will be keen to inject some sparkle into their play back on home soil, particularly against a side sitting bottom of the table. Ensuring his players approach this one with the right mindset is likely to feature in Pedersen’s pre-match message.
If Wednesday’s players get that right, their ability and quality in attacking areas should get them over the line.
Targeting five wins in six
Following a summer of transformation at Hillsborough, almost everyone associated with Wednesday would have gobbled up the chance to win four of the first five matches and sit top of the league at this stage. Having drafted in 18 new signings, it would not have been surprising to see Wednesday start slowly and gradually improve.
Instead, they head into today’s clash with Wigan chasing a fourth successive league win for the first time since a run of four Championship wins on the bounce in March 2024, as well as back-to-back home league wins for the first time since January 2025.
Last weekend’s win over Peterborough means Wednesday head into today’s tussle with Wigan having won four of their first five league games for the first time in 30 years. However, you have to go back to the start of the 1990/91 campaign for the last time the Owls recorded five wins in their opening six league outings.
The 1990/91 season proved to be a memorable one in the Owls’ history, of course, as they secured promotion to the First Division and won the League Cup at Wembley after beating Manchester United 1-0 in the final under Ron Atkinson.
Owls’ home record vs Wigan
If Wednesday are going to make it five wins in their opening six league matches for the first time in 36 years, their recent record against Wigan at Hillsborough might be considered a good omen.
After losing their first league meeting with Wigan at Hillsborough in February 2014, going down 3-0, the Owls have won each of the last five tussles between the two sides in S6, scoring seven goals and conceding two.
Wednesday have won the last three S6 meetings between the pair by a goal to nil, with a second-half penalty from Barry Bannan enough to settle the last contest between the two sides in February 2022.