Squeaky-bum time – What needs to happen for Sheffield Wednesday to stay in the Championship
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It’s a big ask for Sheffield Wednesday, especially during a season where they’ve struggled to get any sort of consistency going in what has been a miserable campaign for the most part.
The 3-1 defeat against Middlesbrough on Saturday could’ve relegated them, but Birmingham City’s turnaround against Derby County gave them yet another stay of execution.
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Hide AdIt’s very much squeaky-bum-time now though, and a defeat against Forest would officially send them down into League One next season.
Darren Moore’s side are currently four points adrift of Derby with two games to go, but have exactly the same goal difference at present (-21) going into those final two matches.
Simply put, if Wednesday win both of their games – starting with Nottingham Forest – on Saturday, and the Rams don’t beat Swansea City in their next game, then they’ll overtake them.
There is, however, the small matter of Rotherham United to take into consideration. They’re above Wednesday on goal difference, and have two games in hand on them, so even if the Owls were to overtake Derby, the Millers have more chances (against Brentford, Blackburn Rovers, Luton Town and Cardiff City) to save themselves and relegate both of their fellow strugglers.
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Hide AdAt best, SWFC can reach 45 points, but the Millers can hit 51. So with that in mind, the Owls’ fate is still very much in the hands of others at this point in time, and they’re relying on a lot of favours if they’re going to pull off a great escape.
But the current state of affairs also means that Wednesday could draw against Forest and still have a chance of survival if Derby are beaten by Swansea – another permutation that would take things to the last day.
To simplify things, if Derby win next weekend, Wednesday are down. If the Owls lose, they’re down. If both teams draw, it’s over. Any other mix of results – Rotherham’s games aside – will be enough to take it to the last day.