Sheffield Wednesday relegation rivals leadership challenge issued in face of key injury blow

Huddersfield Town boss Andre Breitenreiter is calling for individuals within his squad step up and take on leadership responsibility over the final two Championship weekends. Huddersfield currently find themselves in the relegation zone, three points behind Sheffield Wednesday, who are 21st at present and setting the survival pace.

As such, this weekend's home fixture against Birmingham City, who are 22nd in the table, promises to be make or break when it comes to their hopes of avoiding the drop to League One. Win and Huddersfield know they will go to Ipswich Town on the final day of the season with a fighting chance of survival, lose and it could be all over. Of course, Wednesday fans will be hoping the latter scenario plays out as the Owls prepare for the challenge of facing play-off hopefuls West Brom at Hillsborough.

To make matters worse for Huddersfield, they will be without their captain and leader Jonathan Hogg, who is struggling with a shoulder injury. Breitenreiter would have dearly loved to have Hogg available for selection against the Blues and the midfielder continues to play a key role off the pitch. But, his impact from the sidelines will be limited during the contest and Breitenreiter wants to see someone rise to the occasion and take on the leadership mantle.

“After the result of his injury, he was not with the team for a week as he was sad and needed some time for himself," the Town boss said of Hogg. "But he is around the team and for sure, we need his experience. He is a legend here at Town. Some players ‘live’ the club and maybe they can tell the others who are now so long here to ‘live’ for Town.

“It is one of many things we should speak about after the season. Who is a leader, who wants to be a leader? A leader is important in the group in every training session, giving 100 per cent always and you can be sure this is a big thing.

"What I also tell the players for their future is that when you want to go up to another league, you have to show 100 per cent in every session. Over the whole season, we have had so many injuries because players are not fit and then we have to play with players who are not really fit and this means the whole thing is not easier.”