The stats that prove Sheffield Wednesday have a solid defensive foundation

And a quick glance at the stats would suggest Monk has done just that.

We are now over halfway through the Championship season and Wednesday boast the joint-third best defensive record in the division, having conceded 26 goals in 27 matches.

They were put under the cosh in the first half by promotion rivals Leeds United last weekend, but Monk's men showed their resilience and dug deep to chalk up their ninth clean sheet.

Cameron Dawson stepped up when called upon, producing two excellent saves to deny Jack Harrison and Patrick Bamford, Osaze Urhoghide and Morgan Fox put in solid shifts in the full-back positions while the centre-back pairing of Dominic Iorfa and Julian Börner kept Leeds' mobile front line quiet.

Their resilience and togetherness shone through in the Yorkshire derby cauldron at Elland Road.

Are the Owls always playing swashbuckling, expansive football?

No, but Monk has them well-organised and well-drilled. Recording back-to-back shut-outs away from home is never an easy thing to do, but Wednesday have managed to stop Premier League Brighton and Hove Albion and Leeds from scoring.

On clean sheets, Monk told The Star: “Yeah, we'll probably go through another week where we concede but we're trying hard! We've got one of the best defensive records in the league.

“It can fluctuate where mistakes creep in.

“If we'd conceded on Saturday, I could have lived with it because they gave everything they'd got."