'Very tricky' - West Brom boss Ryan Mason makes Sheffield Wednesday admission ahead of Championship fixture
Sheffield Wednesday will be hoping to earn their second Championship win of the season when they travel to The Hawthorns on Saturday.
West Bromwich Albion head coach Ryan Mason is expecting a “very tricky” test when Sheffield Wednesday visit The Hawthorns on Saturday, recognising how competitive the Owls have been of late.
Although Wednesday will make the trip to the Midlands for their second lunchtime kick-off of the season looking to arrest a four-game losing run, they have been unfortunate not to get points on the board of late.
Since the October international break, Wednesday have lost each of their last three games by one goal, being narrowly edged out by Charlton Athletic (2-1), Middlesbrough (1-0) and most recently Oxford United (2-1).
Currently bottom of the table on -6 points after having 12 points deducted as punishment for entering administration last Friday, Wednesday have an enormous mountain to climb if they are to beat the drop this season.
Despite that, Baggies chief Mason, who will be desperate to see his side get back on the winning trail after back-to-back defeats themselves, is wary of the Owls.
Mason makes Owls admission
“It’s a very tricky game on Saturday, but we’re at home and we need to head into it with as much energy and personality as possible in order to give ourselves the best chance of getting a positive result,” Mason said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
“Every team in this league is difficult to play against and that’s been the message this week ahead of Sheffield Wednesday’s visit.
“They’ve got things going on outside of the pitch, but sometimes that can bring the group together. I’ve watched a lot of their games this season and they’ve been tight, there hasn’t been much in them, they’re competitive, they’re a good team and they have good individuals who can hurt and punish you.
“If we’re going to win tomorrow, we’re going to have to earn it because there are absolutely no easy games. The reality is, we need to function as a team to limit them to as little as possible and create as much as we can at the other end.”